Mannheim Psychologist Jutta Mata and the National Academy of Sciences Call for Stricter Corona Measures

Looking at the upcoming holidays, the New Year and the current pandemic situation, the National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina, has published an urgent call for action. Among the authors of the publication are experts of the Leopoldina, the president of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wieler, virologist Christian Drosten and professor Jutta Mata, who holds the chair of Health Psychology at the University of Mannheim.

The scientists want “a strict lockdown to quickly and drastically reduce the number of new infections which is far too high”, the Leopoldina statement confirms. Public life should come to a halt from December 24 until January 10. This is a quiet time for society and economy: Schools and day care centers, government institutions, post offices or banks are closed, many people have days off. For professor Jutta Mata, Christmas time is a big opportunity which should not be wasted.

In order to make this scenario successful, the health psychologist opts for various measures included in the Leopoldina statement. Besides other measures, she proposes a self-imposed quarantine for people who want to visit their parents and grandparents between Christmas and New Year’s Day. People should self-isolate at home or even at a holiday home for ten days before they meet. A clear perspective that these measures help to better manage the winter months of 2021, hopefully without another lockdown, could be used to motivate people. 

The health psychologist considers a standardized system of rules with several levels to be particular important: “The system should specify the measures to be taken if the infection rate per 100,000 inhabitants exceeds certain thresholds. Since this is a more transparent approach which is easier to understand and to plan, it can lead to more acceptance.” Setting up such a system may also refute the impression that politicians are running behind on the pandemic developments while quarreling about the measures, says Mata.

To read the complete ad hoc statement of the Leopoldina, please visit: https://www.leopoldina.org/publikationen/detailansicht/publication/coronavirus-pandemie-die-feiertage-und-den-jahreswechsel-fuer-einen-harten-lockdown-nutzen-2020/

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