Prof. Clemens Wendtner receives the Bavarian Order of Merit for his dedication in the fight against COVID-19 from Bavarian Minister President Markus Söder.
With his team, Clemens Wendtner, chief physician of infectious diseases at München Klinik Schwabing, treated the first COVID-19 patients in Germany in 2020. In the meantime, more than 7000 have already been treated in the five Munich clinics. In addition to his work as a physician and his scientific activities on the topic of SARS-CoV-2, he has been advising the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) in Berlin, the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care (StMGP) on aspects of COVID-19 since 2020.
As a sign of honorable and grateful recognition for outstanding service to the Free State of Bavaria and the Bavarian people, Wendtner will receive the Bavarian Order of Merit. In addition to Wendtner, Minister President Markus Söder honored more than 70 other persons with the award.
Prof. Clemens Wendtner is pleased to receive the award also on behalf of others:
"This award is a great honor and pleasure, but in any case a recognition and appreciation by the Minister President that goes far beyond my person: in Bavaria, countless people have been involved in the pandemic and have achieved enormous things, not least in medicine and research. I accept the award on behalf of all these people. At the same time, I see the award as a mandate that we must continue our efforts to really put the pandemic behind us. I am confident that we will succeed in this, not least because of the great support we receive every day in the Free State in this fight."
Markus Söder recognized the award winners, saying, " They are all role models in these times. They are not only being honored for the achievements they have made, but also to encourage others. That you can make a difference even in difficult times, that you can change the world with commitment and that you can also make it a little better."
The Bavarian Order of Merit in the form of a Maltese Cross is the Free State's highest honor and is awarded each year to selected personalities from the fields of sports, science and culture. In total, only two thousand living persons are allowed to wear this award.