Prof. em. Dr. med. Sucharit Bhakdi the son of Thai diplomats, spent his childhood and youth in the USA, Switzerland, Egypt and Thailand. After studying human medicine in Germany, he embarked on a scientific career and most recently headed the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz for 22 years. He published over 300 articles in international journals and is one of the most cited medical researchers in Germany. During his multiple award-winning university teaching career, he brought the topic of infections to the attention of politicians and the public in countless appearances. In addition to numerous scientific prizes, he was awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate. (Source: Goldegg Verlag GmbH, Berlin)
Open Letter Prof. em. Sucharit Bhakdi on the Corona Crisis
Prof. Sucharit Bhakdi, MD, specialist in microbiology and infectious disease epidemiology, headed the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene at the University of Mainz for 22 years. He has written an open letter to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel with five questions that demand immediate answers to establish how justified the current massive restrictions on all our basic rights are.
Preface: Freedom of the press is a privilege and a duty
"The privilege applies to journalists and media companies. For both, it gives rise to obligations. Journalists are obliged to work fairly and carefully. The Swiss Press Council is the guarantor of this. And media companies are obliged to provide the economic conditions for independent, diverse journalism." (Excerpt from the "Manifesto for the Freedom of the Press" from the Swiss Association of Journalists impressum)
Information about the video of Prof. em. Dr. med. Sucharit Bhakdi
The forceful, factual Video by Prof. Dr. med. Sucharit Bhakdi (Addendum to Corona in Italy), specialist in microbiology and infectious disease epidemiology explains the issues and their background. The whole letter in the wording with the questions, backgrounds and references can be viewed here.
Comment by Markus Frutig, Editor-in-Chief of SAFETY-PLUS on 31.03.2020
Dear readers, customers, association partners and business associates.
Currently, due to the WHO proclamation of the pandemic level because of Corona/COVID-19 an unprecedented worldwide crisis situation with exit restrictions, - bans, prohibitions with partly draconian penalties (for example 5 years in prison in Italy in case of violation of the curfew for positively tested persons), which could result in millions of unemployed, individual insolvencies of self-employed persons and the bankruptcy of many SMEs. Switzerland and Germany will also be hit extremely hard by this emergency legislation, which will not only put all our readers, associations, customers and business partners at risk of financial losses in the millions, but also all our work or existence on a massive scale.
Interestingly, Sweden or many Asian countries such as Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong or Taiwan make it quite easy by all citizens respirators distribute to eliminate the risk of droplet infection before things get worse. Shouldn't our health boards learn from this as well? Quote in n-tv article "Their prescription: masks for everyone, tight controlling and digital tracking of the sick. Keep your distance (especially with the elderly) and pay attention to hygiene anyway."
Because the world-wide, financial consequences with the indebtedness over the billion-heavy emergency credits become already now with each day, each week of the standstill incalculable and can roll up to an avalanche, which could cost still more insolvencies and human lives, than the Corona crisis itself. Especially in the third world countries like in many states of Africa, India or Pakistan, where the people basically in poverty without any hygiene have a massively damaged immune system and do not survive curfews as "easily" as we currently do in Switzerland or Germany.
Therefore, it is not only for me as a Christian, Swiss citizen, journalist, engineer and trained health advisor morally, ethically and politically the duty to check also other facts and backgrounds to protect the basic civil, democratic rights of our freedom and to enable constructive discussions with the decision makers in politics and health care immediately and to adjust the measures appropriately before it is too late.
In the meantime, the Swiss federal government is also open to the idea of setting up a new expert committee "Swiss National COVID-19 Task Force" to found. Because Stefan Kuster takes over as head of the FOPH's Communicable Diseases Division with immediate effect (April 1) and thus becomes the successor of Daniel Koch. The latter retires, but continues to work during the coronavirus pandemic as "FOPH delegate for COVID-19". He advises and supports the FOPH on the coronavirus pandemic and represents it in public.
Sources to the Video
For space reasons here only references, the details can be taken from the letter:
[1] Technical dictionary of infection control and infectious disease epidemiology. Technical terms - definitions - interpretations. Robert Koch Institute, Berlin 2015. (retrieved 3/26/2020)
[2] Killerby et al, Human coronavirus circulation in the United States 2014-2017. J Clin Virol. 2018, 101, 52-56.
[3] Roussel et al. SARS-CoV-2: Fear Versus Data. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 2020, 105947 www.sciencedirect.com
[4] Charisius, H. Covid-19: How well does Germany test? Süddeutsche Zeitung. (retrieved 3/27/2020)
[5] Johns Hopkins University, Coronavirus Resource Center. 2020, (retrieved 3/26/2020)
[6] S1 Guideline 054-001, Rules for the performance of medical postmortem examinations. AWMF Online, (retrieved 3/26/2020)
[7] Martuzzi et al. Health Impact of PM10 and Ozone in 13 Italian Cities. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. WHOLIS number E88700 2006
[8] European Environment Agency, Air Pollution Country Fact Sheets 2019, (retrieved 3/26/2020)
[9] Croft et al. The Association between Respiratory Infection and Air Pollution in the Setting of Air Quality Policy and Economic Change. Ann. Am. Thorac. Soc. 2019, 16, 321-330.
[10] United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Living Arrangements of Older Persons: A Report on an Expanded International Dataset (ST/ESA/SER.A/407). 2017
[11] Deutsches Ärzteblatt, Overloading of German hospitals by COVID-19 unlikely, experts say, (retrieved 3/26/2020)
Vita of Sucharit Bhakdi
Editor's book recommendation: "Specter of Infections -Myths, Delusions and Reality".
By Karina Reiss, Sucharit Bhakdi
Review text: One in 10 deaths is due to infection ... Dangerous coli germs on airplane seats, Legionella in drinking water, multi-resistant bacteria, swine flu, Ebola - what is better suited for headlines? Isn't it ironic that we lose sight of the real risks in the process? In this book, experts of the first rank clarify: What role do the body's defenses play? When are vaccinations effective? What about "classic" childhood diseases? What helps with serious infections? When do antibiotics reach their limits? What are the dangers of multi-resistant bacteria? What about hospital-acquired infections? In an entertaining question-and-answer game, this book provides exciting insights into the nature of the most important infectious diseases. You'll be able to distinguish between sense and nonsense, know where real infectious dangers lurk, and how to counter them. Visit a fascinating and unknown world. The power of knowledge will help you to live a longer and healthier life - without prescription and without side effects. (Source: Goldegg Verlag GmbH, Berlin)
