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Visiting restrictions in clinics - a scandal that hardly anyone talks about

It's a scandal that hardly anyone talks about.

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Visiting restrictions in clinics - a scandal that hardly anyone talks about

It's a scandal that hardly anyone talks about. While almost all corona measures have fallen, two areas remain almost unaffected by the normalization: hospitals and nursing homes. Many facilities continue to impose very strict access restrictions.

Most clinics only allow one visitor per day for one hour during select time slots. Children under the age of twelve often have to stay outside. Until a few days ago, 2G plus was still in effect at the Frankfurt University Hospital, so unvaccinated visitors were banned from entering.

One could argue that it is important to protect the vulnerable in our society from Corona in particular. However, the impression arises that some houses are no longer primarily concerned with the virus. Finally, the infection process has relaxed, most of the course of the disease is mild. Instead, respiratory diseases such as the RS virus and influenza are now putting a heavy strain on both the capacities and the understaffed staff. Allowing fewer visitors means less hassle, fewer questions, fewer complaints.

But it is inhumane to continue to shield patients and residents from their partners, children and grandchildren after three years of the pandemic. Visits speed the recovery process and provide support at a time when caregivers can no longer. The chronic shortage of staff must be solved politically and must not be carried out on the backs of the families.

The fact that there is little public resistance to the strict regulations is also due to the lack of a lobby from patients and residents. Many suffer in silence, not daring to put pressure on them. Complaints are often the only way to persuade the respective home or clinic to relax. Because the strict regulations are not stipulated by law at all - the facilities refer exclusively to their domiciliary rights.

The health ministers of the federal states should now urgently appeal to the hospital companies and nursing home operators: As soon as the statutory test and mask requirement in the facilities is lifted, the strict visiting rules must also be abolished. Of course, there may be exceptions, for example in areas with particularly immunocompromised patients. But general restrictions are no longer acceptable - neither in terms of infection nor ethically.

"Kick-off Politics" is WELT's daily news podcast. The most important topic analyzed by WELT editors and the dates of the day. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, among others, or directly via RSS feed.

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