Referreport
Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir’s entourage found out on Monday morning how far the Berlin political bubble is sometimes removed from the reality of life of people outside the country.
The Green politician had set out from the federal capital to find out about animal diseases and pandemics at the Friedrich Löffler Institute in the extreme north-eastern tip of Germany on the small island of Riems. As befits a member of the Eco Party, the two cars in which Özdemir and his accompanying employees traveled were electric.
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While the batteries in Özdemir’s car were fully charged and took the minister to the Baltic Sea without stopping, the accompanying vehicle had to drive much slower in order to move as energy-efficiently as possible. Because the battery and accumulator were not fully charged, forcing the vehicle to drive at a moderate speed. Urgently needed charging stations for electric cars are not available at every milk can in the endless expanses of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
After passing the last milk jug, the appointment began “in this special place” (Özdemir) – the institute is surrounded by a lot of the Baltic Sea – but still on time.
“The world’s leading animal health research institution with the highest reputation,” said the minister, is once again increasingly in the public eye due to an increasing and dynamic epidemic situation. The employees tend to shy away from the latter – because if the institute and its expertise are not in great demand in the media, the situation in combating epidemics is also rather relaxed, according to the tenor of the management, led by Professor Christa Kühn.
That’s why the institute is in the province
But the distinguished visitor from Berlin emphasized: “I was always told in the ministry that if you weren’t even at the Friedrich Löffler Institute in Riems during your term of office, you weren’t doing your job properly.”
There is a good reason why the respected research facility is so far away from the beaten track and is located where others go on a relaxing and peace-seeking vacation. The founder of the institute, Friedrich-Löffler, was commissioned by the then Ministry of Health in 1910 to research foot-and-mouth disease, which was rampant at the time.
It’s hard to find good employees
In order to minimize any risk of infection for humans and animals, Löffler was sent to the remote spot directly on the Baltic Sea. There the scientist continued to develop his research and is still considered the founder of modern virology today. There are now five locations of the institute with a total of around 850 highly specialized employees. The headquarters is still in Riems – 430 scientists from 30 nations work there.
As the minister learned first-hand during his visit, getting employees from all over the world to take on demanding research jobs is not that easy. The competition is fierce – and a location like Riems, far away from any big city flair, does not necessarily have to be an advantage when it comes to attracting employees. On the other hand, according to the staff, the Baltic Sea ambience can also score points, at least in the summer months.
A complicated workplace
The Minister of Agriculture also found out that there was already a stiff and fresh breeze on the island at the end of September/beginning of October – the Green man, shivering slightly, pulled his thin jacket down over his hands, even at the sleeves. On the other hand, the atmosphere of the conversation was pleasantly warm – Özdemir appeared to be inquisitive, interested and informed on his tour of the individual research areas. The minister was particularly impressed by the so-called S4 high-security laboratory with the highest level of protection in the world.
Özdemir spoke via microphone and loudspeaker – shielded by a thick glass wall – with a scientist who comes from Canada. In order to work autonomously in this high-security laboratory, a years-long training and education process must be completed. “Half an hour of preparation when you go in, half an hour of follow-up to come out again – a complicated workplace,” Özdemir was told. The minister’s smug comment: “Then you should probably go to the toilet first.”
An early warning system for pandemics
Things are currently looking serious with various epidemics, which often originate in the animal world, can be fatal and are on the rise. Bluetongue disease, West Nile virus, African swine fever and the smallpox variant MPOX, among others, were explained to the minister by the institute’s scientists.
Transmission to humans is often possible – “we are therefore an early warning system for potential pandemics,” said institute director Kühn. Since Corona at the latest, humanity’s awareness of the issue has at least increased. It was precisely against this background that Kühn and Özdemir promised: “Maximum transparency.”
As soon as the minister had spoken these words in the autumn wind and looking towards the Baltic Sea, the electrically powered company car rolled up for the return journey – certainly with charged batteries.
Source: German