Five years after the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Andreas Gassen, chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), has emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of Germany’s pandemic response. He insists that analyzing past measures is crucial to better prepare for future pandemics.
Gassen highlighted the necessity of assessing the decisions made during the pandemic to determine their effectiveness. “We need these findings to be ready for the next pandemic, which, unfortunately, is only a matter of time,” he stated in an interview with the Funke Media Group on Sunday.
The KBV chief referred to recent reports indicating that Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) had already suspected a laboratory accident in Wuhan, China, as the likely origin of the virus in 2020. In light of this information, Gassen stressed that a thorough evaluation of political decisions made at the time is more essential than ever.
To facilitate this assessment, Gassen proposed the creation of an inquiry commission. The goal of this commission would be to identify which measures were effective and which proved to be misguided. However, he underscored that this initiative should not be about assigning blame but rather about learning from past experiences to improve future responses.
On March 16, 2020, Germany’s federal and state governments implemented their first lockdown measures, mirroring similar strategies adopted by numerous countries worldwide to curb the spread of COVID-19. These measures led to the closure of schools, kindergartens, and non-essential businesses. The effectiveness and long-term consequences of these actions continue to be a topic of discussion today.
Gassen’s call for a systematic review comes as policymakers and healthcare professionals seek to refine public health strategies and preparedness for future health crises.
