German doctors broach ‘taboo’ subject of

Covid toll on minority groups

Anecdotal evidence suggests Muslims over-represented in ICUs, but
Germany has no official data
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A no entry sign at the entrance to a Covid-19 intensive care unit at a German

hospital. Photograph: Christof Stache/AFP/Getty Images
Kate Connolly in Berlin
Wed 3 Mar 2021 14.36 GMT
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German doctors are reportedly concerned about the large proportion of people from
minority ethnic backgrounds among coronavirus patients in intensive care, citing a lack
of proper communication with Muslim communities in particular about the dangers of
the disease.

Lothar Wieler, the head of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s disease control agency,
confirmed that the issue was discussed with senior medical consultants last month,
though he stressed the meeting was informal.