Overview

• Christoph Nitsche, Germany's first confirmed COVID-19 patient, contracted the virus in January 2020 during a meeting with a colleague visiting from China.
• Nitsche spent 19 days in isolation at a Munich hospital despite showing no symptoms after initial mild fever and chills, which he recalls as a psychologically challenging period.
• He criticizes the German government's early pandemic response, describing it as unprepared even with a small number of cases, and questions some of the strict measures imposed later.
• Nitsche reflects on the personal toll of the pandemic, including missing family milestones, and emphasizes the importance of spending time with loved ones.
• Now vaccinated and without long-term health effects, he hopes lessons from the pandemic will lead to better preparedness for future crises.