Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the German Red Cross (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, DRK) believes that Germany is not adequately prepared for a potential new pandemic. According to Philipp Wiesener, the DRK’s national aid society leader, the responsible government has not learned enough from the pandemic. “We have found that there are gaps in the healthcare provision during crisis situations”Wiesener said in an interview. “Germany was not adequately prepared for a pandemic at many points and unfortunately, this has not changed significantly to this day.”
The DRK expert particularly criticizes the material equipment provided by the federal government and the states, stating that it is “urgently necessary”to establish the announced “National Reserve for Health Protection.”Despite promises, no changes have been observed, Wiesener said, calling this a “major failure”and the opposite of responsible preparation for a crisis.
The goal, according to Wiesener, should be to stockpile a sufficient amount of personal protective equipment and create production capacities that can quickly produce essential resources in an emergency. The organization also emphasizes the need to build the resilience of society against the challenges of crisis situations, for example, by providing comprehensive training for support staff, widespread first aid education at schools, more first aid courses with self-defense components and the procurement of additional mobile care modules, which can accommodate 5,000 people independently.
Furthermore, the DRK demands that the definition of critical infrastructure and essential personnel in a crisis situation, as well as the associated exceptional regulations, be re-examined and made more realistic. “There is a great need for action, which the next government should fulfill as quickly as possible”Wiesener said.