In early 2022, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach faced scrutiny for his decision to maintain a high COVID-19 risk level, despite recommendations from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) to lower it.

Reports indicate that Lauterbach overruled the RKI's suggestion to downgrade the risk from "very high" to "high," citing political reasons and the ongoing severity of the pandemic.

Lauterbach defended his decision, arguing that reducing the risk level while hundreds were still dying daily from COVID-19 would have been a mistake.

This decision has sparked debate over the independence of the RKI and whether political motives influenced public health decisions.

Critics, including FDP Vice Wolfgang Kubicki, have accused Lauterbach of misleading the public, but the minister maintains that his actions were justified given the circumstances.