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Following a long legal battle, Germany\u2019s public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), has released the confidential protocols that show the RKI was aware that \u201clockdowns cause more harm than good\u201d and evidence for \u201cmaking masks mandatory was lacking.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The RKI voiced concerns in 2020 that shutting down German society could lead to increased child mortality and other negative outcomes. The RKI experts also disagreed with the implementation of FFP2 face masks, saying there was a lack of data to support such a measure.<\/p>\n \u201cActive communication would make sense in order to make clear why the RKI does not recommend this measure,\u201d notes the minute regarding implementing FFP2 mask regulations. The agency even notes in the minutes that it would tell the public it did not support FFP2 mask regulations, but notably, the agency never did so despite mass protests against mandatory masks and other harsh measures.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The 2,500 pages of documents also contain a passage noting that experts warned that lockdowns could \u201cdo more harm than good,\u201d with experts citing lockdowns in Africa and the negative outcomes seen there.<\/strong><\/p>\n The documents have revealed that German politicians dramatized the situation, contrary to the opinions of experts. This was done presumably in order to implement coercive measures and restrict basic rights. There are now calls to release the rest of the documents, as more than a thousand passages are still redacted, representing a third of the total text dating from meeting notes from the \u201ccrisis unit\u201d taken between\u00a0February 2020 and April 2021.<\/p>\n The release of the documents has sent shockwaves through Germany and led even left-wing parties, such as the Greens, to call for a \u201ccomprehensive review\u201d of coronavirus policy. Other parties, like the Alternative for Germany (AfD), are calling for more action, including a commission investigation.<\/p>\n Politicians are urging the RKI to lift the redactions and make all findings available to the public, and further court proceedings are pending. In the meantime, debate continues to rage, with the\u00a0#RKIFiles<\/a>\u00a0tag on X already generating 45,000 posts.<\/p>\n An example of just a couple of posts shows the anger many Germans still feel towards the coronavirus-era policies put in place.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Bavarian state government tortured children with masks until spring 2022 \u2014 even in physical education classes. Not because there was scientific evidence for it, but because Markus S\u00f6der liked the role of coronavirus hardliner. #RKIFiles,\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>wrote<\/a>\u00a0one X user.<\/p>\n Another showed video of police brutalizing protesters demonstrating against Covid-19 measures, writing:<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good that the RKI protocols are included in the broader discussion! But there can be no such thing as cheap forgiveness.\u00a0With the coronavirus, 2\/3 of Germans became massively aggressive against 1\/3. The handcuffs must click on the main criminals.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Virologist Klaus St\u00f6hr, once the WHO pandemic commissioner, said the revealed protocols once again show that the \u201crisk assessment was not based on data.\u201d According to St\u00f6hr, \u201chis hair stood on end when it came to (Germany\u2019s) pandemic plan.\u201d<\/p>\n St\u00f6hr also commented on the fact that the RKI protocols uncovered that experts were telling the government that there is little data to support widespread mask adoption for the public.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the fact that what was known about FFP2 masks was completely ignored is just two small building blocks.\u201d There was \u201ca lot more data available where it was seen that the work was not based on evidence,\u201d he said.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The scientist referred to \u201ccurfews, border closures, 2G\/3G (areas restricted based on vaccination status), and the side effects of lockdowns\u201d as further examples of this. St\u00f6hr noted that \u201cthese are all things that were known \u2013 including that the vaccines could not halt the spread of the virus.\u201d He said that the vaccines could not end the pandemic, and it was \u201cclear from the beginning that the vaccine couldn\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n He is now calling for a commission or review process to avoid the mistakes made by the government during the Covid-19 era in the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n Virologist Hendrik Streeck, who was appointed to the RKI expert council, also stated: \u201cI\u2019m very surprised that entire pages about vaccinations, for example, were blacked out,\u201d he said to Welt. \u201cAnd I wonder what it says, why the public shouldn\u2019t see it.\u201d<\/p>\n Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) reacted with horror to the findings in the report. As federal health minister during a significant portion of the pandemic, he has often been the top target of criticism from those opposed to Germany\u2019s Covid-19 policies.<\/p>\n \u201cEnlightenment is good, but we must not allow conspiracy theories to arise on social media through the interference of foreign governments,\u201d he wrote on the X platform. Why he referred to \u201cforeign governments\u201d remained unclear, but when cornered, left-wing politicians often resort to claims of \u201cforeign interference\u201d and \u201cRussia.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Despite calls for a review of policy, Lauterbach is desperate to avoid this outcome and is also openly rejecting a commission, as the AfD and BSW parties are calling for.<\/p>\n Lauterbach claims this would only benefit \u201ca small group of politicians, but also people who perhaps represent radical ideas in other areas.\u201d He claims they would use the findings \u201cto politicize against the state.\u201d<\/p>\n Some from the Greens also resorted to claims of \u201cforeign influence\u201d following the release of the RKI protocols.<\/strong><\/p>\n Green health politician Janosch Dahmen, one of the most aggressive supporters of extreme Covid-19 policies, said: \u201cIt seems to me that the virulent spread of such untruthful rumors is also the result of the influence of foreign intelligence services on our society against the background of Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine, to further divide and render politics incapable of action.\u201d<\/p>\n The AfD, Free Democrats and BSW parties all want a more thorough investigation than a simple \u201creview.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe public has a right to know what really happened back then,\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>said the health policy spokesman for the AfD parliamentary group, Martin Sichert, regarding the redactions still in the report. He appealed to the other parliamentary groups:\u00a0\u201cTake a look at the protocols of the RKI crisis team and set up a coronavirus investigation committee with us.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Even the FDP, which is in a governing coalition with the ruling government, is calling for a more thorough investigation. FDP vice-president Wolfgang Kubicki announced that he would \u201cwork to ensure that the entire basis for decision-making at this time becomes public.\u201d He also said it is becoming increasingly clear \u201cthat the Robert Koch Institute for Health Policy served as a scientific fa\u00e7ade for former Minister Jens Spahn and probably also Karl Lauterbach.\u201d<\/p>\n Some left-wing politicians believe some kind of review is necessary to improve \u201csocial cohesion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be good for social cohesion if there were a review of coronavirus policy with a little distance,\u201d said the Green parliamentary group\u2019s legal policy spokesperson, Helge Limburg, to Welt newspaper. \u201cThis could be a commission of inquiry, a commission of experts, or another form of debate that signals to people: We are not simply brushing aside the drastic measures of that time.\u201d<\/p>\n Health and budget politician Paula Piechotta said: \u201cAlmost exactly four years after the first pandemic measures were introduced in Germany, it is now overdue to address the mistakes of pandemic policy in a wide range of areas, from health and education to financial policy, in a transparent and timely manner for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Her party colleague, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, also said a review of the coronavirus era was necessary but was short on specifics.<\/p>\n \u201cWe should now initiate a phase in which we reflect on the difficult pandemic period with all its effects,\u201d he told the Bild newspaper. The German government at the time had to make far-reaching decisions quickly in an unprecedented situation during the pandemic.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cCertainly mistakes were made, but it would also have been a mistake not to make a decision,\u201d he continued. \u201cI think we should have the courage to learn the lessons, review processes, and evaluate the impact.\u201d<\/p>\n In retrospect, it is fair to ask \u201cwhether the advisory bodies for politicians really covered the diversity of perspectives in science,\u201d said Green MP Dieter Janecek. \u201cFor example, some encroachments on fundamental rights were certainly questionable: Unvaccinated people were not allowed into restaurants or swimming pools, even though it was already clear that the vaccine did not prevent transmission. Children and young people were unduly disadvantaged.\u201d<\/p>\nVirologist reacts to report<\/h2>\n
Lauterbach in panic mode?<\/h2>\n
The AfD, FDP and BSW want an investigation<\/h2>\n
Some Greens are conciliatory<\/h2>\n