Erfurt (dpa/th) - The Thuringian state parliament has clearly criticized the state government's handling of senior citizens during the corona lockdowns - with a decision that went beyond the political camp boundaries. According to the decision, which was passed on Thursday with the votes of the Left, SPD, Greens, CDU and FDP, senior citizens' interest groups were "only insufficiently involved" in decisions on corona protection measures.
The reasons for the lack of participation would have to be worked out. In addition, the state government must develop a concept for crisis communication, especially in pandemic situations. Contrary to what is usual when discussing applications, no representative of the state government took the floor. The AfD parliamentary group abstained from voting on the decision.
During the deliberations on the application that led to the decision, several parliamentarians criticized that it was above all inhumane to restrict the access of relatives to the nursing homes, some of them massively. The SPD MP Denny Möller pointed out, however, that it had always been difficult for politicians to find the balance between the greatest possible protection of seniors against the corona virus on the one hand and the degree of freedom they absolutely needed on the other. "There was no blueprint for it."
Especially during the initial phase of the corona pandemic, there were numerous restrictions that had a direct impact on old people in nursing homes in particular. For a long time they could not receive visits from relatives or pastors. Quite a few of the people who lived in nursing homes and died during the peak of the pandemic were unable to say goodbye to their loved ones.
The decision of the state parliament states that the state senior citizens' council should actually have been involved by law in the development of the state government's corona regulations. But this was not done. The government is also being asked to commission a survey to find out how the quality of life of nursing home residents, among others, has developed during the pandemic.
Health Minister Heike Werner (left) had already admitted in October 2021 that various lockdown decisions by the state government had placed a disproportionate burden on old people and people in need of care. "Looking back, I would say: you can't do that," she said at the time. "There was a lot of suffering - not only among the residents of the homes, but also among the caregivers who had to endure bad things."
