Renowned Forensic Doctor – Dr Klaus Püschel: Covid 19 Is Not A Killer Virus - Many Patients That Died Were Very Old, Smokers, Obese, Or Had Pre-Existing Conditions (Hamburg,Germany)
Klaus Püschel is director of the Institute for Forensic Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). Since the beginning of the pandemic, he and his team have autopsied people who have died in Hamburg in connection with Covid-19. According to Püschel, all of the deceased had at least one previous illness. About 80 percent of the more than 140 examined suffered from cardiovascular diseases. The average age of the dead is 80 years. The Robert Koch Institute had initially advised against autopsies in order to protect the forensic medical staff from infection. But Klaus Püschel saw this as an opportunity to learn from the dead for the living.
No particular dangers from coronavirus
He saw no particular dangers for most people with Covid 19: "Especially children, adolescents, the working population will normally survive this disease without harm." This does not apply to people who are previously exposed: "The virus is already a danger for those who are previously damaged and have a weakened immune system, I do not misunderstand that. And of course, it ultimately leads to fatal outcome for these people - no question about it. But other Virus infections would do too, "said Püschel.
"Not a killer virus"
Nonetheless, healthy people do not have to fear infection: "The fear that this is a killer virus and that many will die from it is completely superfluous," says Püschel. "We have to be clear: we don't want to sit in a glass case. We cannot protect ourselves from everything. And this virus is a comparatively low risk." The virus is by no means a death sentence for the elderly and the sick. "Most of them will survive the disease there too," said Püschel.
Püschel advocates opening daycare centers
That is why Püschel also advocated for opening daycare centres and schools: "In general, the experience is: the children do not get particularly sick, the adolescents don't get particularly sick. He himself is a grandfather and would not let himself be separated from his grandchildren. "I want to cuddle with them too," said Püschel. The population has to live with the virus: "We have to make friends with it in a certain way, to deal with it, as with the flu and with other infections."
Dr Püschel also criticized German Chancellor Angela Merkel:
“I think it’s really completely inappropriate when a president tells his people that we are at war, or when the German chancellor compares the situation with the last world war.”
According to findings of Dr Püschel, Covid-19 is "a comparatively harmless viral disease". The Germans would have to learn to live with it, without quarantine. The fatalities he examined all had such serious previous illnesses that "even if that sounds harsh, they would all have died in the course of this year," said Püschel.
As the doctor explained, many patients that succumbed to the illness were very old, smokers, obese, or had pre-existing conditions such as diabetes. Lifestyle, age, and other illnesses are therefore closely associated with higher risks, he concluded. By examining other organs, autopsies can play a key role in gaining a better understanding of the virus's mechanisms.
Dr Püschel lamented a lack of transparency when it comes to including fatalities in the virus toll. Insufficient amounts of information about exceptional cases are for example made public. Some patients who passed away may be classified as coronavirus deaths even though they may have, in reality, died from an unrelated illness.
Transcript of interview done on German TV:
TV Host:
Now we’ll speak with someone who caused quite a stir in the media over the last few weeks.
Professor Klaus Püschel is the head of forensic medicine at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). He and his colleague are autopsying all those who died of COVID-19 in Hamburg.
In his opinion, the fear of the virus is exaggerated. COVID-19 is a comparatively harmless disease.
He’s my guest now in the studio. A very warm welcome to you, Professor Püschel. Just to clarify, you think that Corona is affecting us and society in a completely inappropriate and exaggerated way. Is that right?
Professor:
I stand by that. To make it clear, I’ll say that I think it’s completely exaggerated, for example when this virus is referred to as a KILLER VIRUS. When people are very afraid of it. I think it’s really completely inappropriate when a president tells his people that we are at war, or when the German chancellor compares the situation with the last world war.
We have a virus here that we already know in principle.
However, this is new version which came to us as a pandemic, so we have to react to it in a very special way.
It’s the fear that always eats souls. The individual — you and I — we don’t have to be particularly afraid. There are many other dangers occurring in life that affect us far more.
TV Host:
Ten days ago in an interview with a major newspaper, you said that you hadn’t had a single case of COVID-19 on your dissection table. Not one had died from the illness COVID-19 alone without another pre-existing condition.
Is that still the case?
Professor:
—Yes. That remains the case. All [COVID-19] deaths for this region, which have now passed 100, have been autopsied, and each one had serious pre-existing diseases.
They were between 50 and 100 years old. The average age is 80 years old.
This indicates clearly that these are people who aren’t in good general condition. Here I must add that they all had at least one special or rather even several diseases.
Cardiovascular disease, heart attack, enlarged heart, constriction of the coronary arteries, calcification of the arteries, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Also liver disease, cirrhosis, kidney insufficiency, metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, dementia, and in such conditions the immune system is weakened and does not react adequately.
TV Host:
What do you find in the victims of COVID-19 when you open them?
Professor:
The many pre-existing diseases that I’ve spoken of.
We regularly find respiratory infections and pneumonia,vand with the pneumonia come a variety of other complications.
On the one hand the virus-related cellular changes, which are very typical, but also accompanying infections, so-called bacterial super-infections, and nosocomial infections.
TV Host:
What is that?
Professor:
—These are diseases that you only get when you are in hospital or undergoing medical treatment, due to its not being sterile everywhere.
The hygienic conditions in our country are comparatively good, so it cannot be compared to the situation in other countries. We think that is important in the cases of pneumonia. I always point out that relatively often pulmonary embolisms are due to thrombosis, which is why I always say, please stay active and keep moving.
TV Host:
Please stay active and keep moving. Thank you very much for your assessments and your visit, and your explanation, Professor Püschel from the Forensic Medicine Department at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE).
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