Christian Drosten accused the Bild-Zeitung tendentious news reporting - and is on Twitter go viral. Many politicians support the experts.

After an unusual request to virologist Christian Drosten is a critical article about one of his studies appeared. Drosten questioned now on Twitter methods of the corresponding newspaper. Self - alleged critics have emerged as supporters of the virologists.

Berlin - virologist Christian Drosten from Berlin's Charité clinic has proved in the Corona-pandemic* always as one of the most respected consultants in the policy. Occasionally, he criticized the coverage of the German press landscape in connection with the Coronavirus*. Now there is again Trouble - because Drosten accuses the newspaper " tendentious reporting". Preceded by an unusual request of the editor was gone. There is an article with sharp criticisms of Drostens work followed.

uproar by Christian Drosten: Tweet with Mail-request goes viral - virologist criticized "tendentious reporting"

Drosten itself with a Tweet the fierce debate rolling the virologist posted a Screenshot of a e-Mail of a picture of journalists. This said Drosten, they wanted to critically report on a study of the Institute for Virology at the Charité. This examined whether or not children have the same risk of Infection* exists as in adults.

Drosten related to the study, as he explained, there is not significant difference in the viral load of children and adults. The request also included quotes of scientists, to study, to seem skeptical.

In the E-Mail of the editor, then went to 15 at Drosten, was asked the virologist to comment within one hour to criticism of his study. In his Tweet, Drosten replied dry, he had " Better do ". To this end, he wrote: "Interesting: the image is planning to the detriment of a tendentious reporting of our Vorpublikation Virus and trying to quote scraps from scientists with no connection."

at the expense of interest: the #image is planning a tendentious reporting on our Vorpublikation Virus and trying to quote scraps from scientists with no connection. Should I take within an hour position. I have Better things to do. pic.twitter.com/fghG1rdnnq

— Christian Drosten (@c_drosten) May 25, 2020

uproar to virologists: Cited scientists stand behind Drosten - "Dissociate myself"

a Short time after the Tweet of the Charité-virologists published the image on Monday afternoon, the critical article with the title "Drosten-study of infectious children grossly incorrect". In the Text vote of various experts from the science, and Express your concerns to the study. In addition, the newspaper mentioned that the virologist did not comment on the request.

However, the quoted researchers in rails, at least partially, nothing of the image, to know and to report to and distanced themselves from the article. The Bonn statistics-Professor Dominik Liebl wrote, "I knew nothing of the request, the IMAGE and distance myself from this kind of people to put pressure on you in the strongest possible terms". the Christoph Rothe , a Professor at the University of Mannheim, tweeted also, "none of the picture has spoken to me, I expressly dissociate myself from this kind of reporting"

Looks like a character assassination of a scientist in a journalistic suicide pic.twitter.com/A6Bucyb3eT

— Ruprecht Polenz (@polenz_r) May 25, 2020

In the article, both the economist Rothe, as well as Liebl are cited. "The average virus load of the age group Kindergarten to 86 percent lower than the mean viral load of the age group of the Elderly", is a quote from a study Liebls. Rothe is played with the words in Drostens study statistical methods used were "very weak".

uproar to virologists: Quoted scientists stand behind Drosten - "Dissociate myself"

Even politicians jumped to the virologists to the side and supported him. Juso-in-chief Kevin Kühnert posted a question from the same editor from the year 2018, in the him "still more than three hours of time to answer" were given, as the SPD politician commented ironically. The Green party politician Renate Künast commented on Drostens contribution with a heart and a thumbs up. SPD-health expert Karl Lauterbach - also a very sought-after contact person in the crisis - strengthened Drosten on Twitter as well as the back and wrote, "since the methodology of the study is impeccable (and the other studies it covers) I wouldn't Worry about it."

journalism has become really fast-paced. Two years ago, they still had more than three hours time to answer. pic.twitter.com/0nPCMo1pb2

— Kevin Kühnert (@KuehniKev) May 25, 2020

Many Twitter users pointed to the short time that was given to the virologists to answer and throw the image lack of Research and bias. Some Users attacked the Charité-virologists, since he made first the data of the editor in his Screenshot to the public. The Tweet was however deleted by Drosten and later edited and re-posted.

As a Journalist, I find that practice to be so incredibly embarrassing. Within an hour of answers, the Thesis is already in the advance Search seems to be a foreign word: just as it is, as I have always imagined how @fpiatov his trash together zimmert

— Franz Nestler (@Franz nestler) May 25, 2020

ajr

*Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Date Of Update: 25 May 2020, 17:33