ORF Corona Discussion Does Not Take Place After Cancellations
ORF Lower Austria announced on Tuesday that the cancellation was due to the fact that virologist Norbert Nowotny and intensive care physician Christoph Hörmann had withdrawn their participation in the ORF Corona discussion at short notice, and it was not possible to find other suitable discussion partners.
ORF Corona Discussion: Virologist Canceled "After Careful Consideration"
The "A Place for Words" discussion was intended to clarify which facts, in retrospect, support the Corona restrictions at the time and to what extent mistakes were made during the pandemic. The aim of ORF Lower Austria was to "provide a platform for everyone." The invited scientists were described as "indispensable" in a field that lies at the intersection of medicine, social interaction, and politics. "On the other hand, those affected, interested parties, and also activists express their very personal concerns and worries, as well as their motivation to get involved. Not inviting representatives of this camp would have rendered the aim of 'A Place for Words' absurd," said ORF Lower Austria.
Rutter founded associations for vaccine victims and repeatedly attracted attention at demonstrations against Corona measures. Nowotny explained to the APA that he had informed himself more closely about Rutter and also reviewed his Telegram channels. What he found there - statements far removed from any facts or even advertisements for weapons - led him "after careful consideration" to cancel his participation in the format, which he generally valued highly. With Rutter, who had also called on his followers to appear in large numbers, an evidence-based debate was not conceivable. Rather, Nowotny fears that Rutter would know how to use the discussion for his own purposes. The commendable endeavor of ORF to explore and ideally close the gaps in the population would not be possible in this way, the virologist said.
(APA/Red)
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