With solidarity and responsibility by the Corona-crisis

In the Corona-crisis, the German ethics Council reports to word and submit recommendations to address the pandemic. However, he believes that the current restrictions on freedom to combat the pandemic at the moment justified, however, gets to exact Checks and as soon as possible gradual easing. In addition, the ethics Council recommends a series of measures to tackle the crisis.

“The current pandemic will challenge our society in unprecedented Form, and leads to serious ethical conflicts”, writes the German ethics Council in a recent Ad-hoc recommendation on the management of the Coronavirus pandemic. In the publication, “solidarity and responsibility in the Corona-crisis”, the Council for ethical guidance and recommendations for the health system, the threat of dramatic decision-making situations.

The ethics Council is in favour of the restriction measures

“The German ethics Council is in favour of the up-to-containment of the infection measures, even if they demand that all people in this country, great sacrifices,” the ethics Council in the letter of recommendation. The restrictions on freedom should, however, be reviewed continuously with a view to the diverse social and economic burdens, and as soon as possible and be progressively relaxed.

An ethical core of conflict

The core conflict lies in the fact that on the one hand, a permanently high-quality, efficient health care system must be secured and on the other hand, have serious consequences for the population and the society as low as possible must be kept. This requires a fair balancing of competing moral “goods”. Under the basic principles of “solidarity and responsibility” must be constantly reviewed, to what extent and how long a society of the strong restrictions can cope with.

Carefully with solidarity resources

“In this crisis of unprecedented proportions, we can consider ourselves lucky to have such a great solidarity of the resources in our society,” stresses Peter Dabrock, the Chairman of the German ethics Council. You have to be honest – even with such resources, it is important to carefully deal, and tensions between the different needs of vulnerable groups are fair to negotiate.

The solution is not just a policy thing

The German ethics Council sees itself as an interface between policy and society and would like to raise the awareness of both sides for the present problems, because the solution was a task for the whole society. This is not a Situation that is solely be resolved by political decisions and action instructions. That would contradict the basic idea of democracy. “The Corona-crisis is the hour of the democratically legimitierten policy”, the ethics Council.

Triage situations to avoid

In the near future it should go according to the ethics Council is to avoid so-called Triage situations. These are situations, to decide which Doctors will be forced, who receives intensive medical care and who is subordinate treated. The state should evaluate human life and, therefore, not prescribe, what kind of life could be saved, in a conflict situation.

The burden should not be from the medical staff

The burden of decisions about life and death should be delivered not alone to the individual Physicians. To avoid this, be had to a uniform guiding principle for the clinical case of an emergency, according to well-thought-out, reasoned and transparent criteria are required, for which also a General acceptance in the population to be present.

Containment versus economy

The current freedom-limiting infection, protective measures must be evaluated according to the ethics Council is continuously critical. Although the slowdown in the spread of the Coronavirus standing in the first place, it should not, however, the economic, cultural, political and psycho-social consequences except Eight. The damage should be kept to a minimum. Therefore, soon the conditions for an orderly return to a reasonably normal social and private life, with a regular economic activity would have to be tested.

These measures recommended by the ethics Council

In addition, the ethics Council considers the following actions essential to cope with the Corona-pandemic:

• Increase and Stabilize the health care system-capacity;
• a nationwide system for the collection and optimized use of intensive-care capacity;
• Removal of bureaucratic hurdles;
• better networking in the health system and with other relevant sectors of society;
• Expansion of test capacity;
• continuous data collection and evaluation to Covid-19-immunities, and disease histories;
• Research funding of vaccines and therapeutics against SARS-CoV 2;
• Preparation and promotion for the introduction and mass production of appropriate treatment options;
• Support of interdisciplinary research on social, psychological and other effects of the measures in the framework of the Covid-19 pandemic;
• Development of protection and isolation strategies for risk groups;
• a transparent and regular communication of actions taken and to political decision-making in connection with Covid-19;
• specific calculations of the expected costs due to actions taken, and alternative scenarios.

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