There is a risk of a third wave of pandemic of the new coronavirus during the winter, the Chancellor warned Angela Merkel, calling again on citizens to be «too careful».
During a teleconference with police officers as part of the «Dialogue with Citizens», the Chancellor stressed that «if we are not careful, we'll immediately find ourselves in the next wave», noting that winter is more dangerous. «We have to endure these winter months,» Merkel added, while saying that the quick tests give a clearer picture of the situation.
During the debate, police officers emphasized the dangers they face due to both the new coronavirus and the violent protests of pandemic deniers, and asked the Chancellor for more body tests and more clarity on containment rules.
Merkel, for her part, expressed her respect for the work of the police in the pandemic and admitted that the system is under great strain: «We know what you are doing for us,» she said, adding that the Police is a professional category which faces a particular challenge. He even announced that police officers are among those who will have the opportunity to be vaccinated as a priority, «if not first».
The police officers also raised with the Chancellor the issue of extremism in their ranks, which has been a major topic in the news lately.
A police officer from Erfurt claimed that these were isolated cases, but called for concerted efforts to deal with them.
For her part, Angela Merkel expressed her understanding for the fact that police officers are annoyed by such generalisations, but stressed that «we should not turn a blind eye to such phenomena».
