How science and politics collide in the battle against the coronavirus | COVID-19 Special

The coronavirus pandemic has put the spotlight on the often difficult relationship between Science and Politics. In the scientific world researchers tread a slow and methodical path in the search for truth.

But for some politicians, the rush to deliver quick and easy answers to complex questions has made scientific research a political football. Researchers are still learning about the virus, trying to understand how it behaves, and devising strategies to fight it. They need politicians to turn their findings into public policy. But that collaboration is often far from straightforward. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that the number of coronavirus infections could rise to almost twenty thousand a day by Christmas if the current trend continues. She says the priority must be to bring numbers down - while keeping the economy alive. Throughout the pandemic, she's been shaping her policies around the latest advice from Germany's scientists and researchers. Among the experts that have her ear is the country's most well-known virologist Christian Drosten. As Germany and the world prepare for a likely second major wave of new COVID-19 infections in the coming months, now more than ever politics and science need to work hand in hand.

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