Merkel calls for unity
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called yesterday for international co-operation on the development of a vaccine for the new coronavirus, saying that the pandemic transcends borders and can only be countered jointly.
Speaking to parliament in a session where lawmakers sat at a careful distance from one another in line with the country’s social-distancing regulations, Merkel said German scientists were busily researching the virus at home, but that ‘‘international co-operation against the virus is extremely important.’’
‘‘Science is never national, science serves mankind,’’ she said. ‘‘Thus it goes without saying that when medication or a vaccine is found, tested, released and is ready for use, it must be available all around the world and affordable for the whole world.’’
US President Donald Trump has announced he is halting funding for the World Health Organisation to review how it has handled the outbreak, but Merkel lauded the agency’s work.
‘‘For the German government, I emphasise the WHO is an indispensable partner and we support them in their mandate,’’ she said.
Asked later whether she believed there was sufficient willingness among countries to co-operate in tackling the pandemic, Merkel said that recent conversations with other world leaders – including the G-7 currently chaired by the US – had given her the impression that ‘‘we know this is an illness which has reached all of us. It’s a pandemic that nobody can avoid‘‘.
Germany this week began slowly easing restrictions after being on lockdown for weeks, allowing small shops to open while keeping social distancing in place. All states are also moving ahead with regulations requiring protective masks in public transport, shops or both.
In her speech to lawmakers, Merkel chastised some German states for moving too quickly to relax measures.
Germany has reported more than
150,000 infections but a relatively low death toll of about 5000, while more than
100,000 people have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University. –