Introduction to the Special Issue: The First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany

Democratic health in the corona pandemic. The corona pandemic as a trigger or amplifier of democratic erosion or autocratization?

“…They were able to force true one priority—in this case the reduction of COVID-19 infections and deaths—whatever it takes, while implementing ruthless instruments (mass testing, close-meshed contact tracing, strict confinements and rigorous lockdowns), curtailing individual liberties unthinkable in democracies (Tisdall 2020 ; Wurster et al. 2022 ). Accompanied by expanding medical and hospital capacities in record time (Merkel 2020 ) as well as implementing a high volume testing system (documented i.e.…”

“…After this disastrous effect of autocratic steering in the first phase of the COVID-19 outbreak, autocracies like China or Singapore, backed with sufficient resources and a high level of state capacity, were able to exploit on of their core competencies in the second phase of the pandemic. They were able to force true one priority-in this case the reduction of COVID-19 infections and deaths-whatever it takes, while implementing ruthless instruments (mass testing, close-meshed contact tracing, strict confinements and rigorous lockdowns), curtailing individual liberties unthinkable in democracies (Tisdall 2020;Wurster et al 2022). Accompanied by expanding medical and hospital capacities in record time (Merkel 2020) as well as implementing a high volume testing system (documented i.e.…”