The autumn crown has already begun, but the number of infections is decreasing. And this without stricter measures. How can it be? And what does it mean for Germany’s crown policy in autumn and winter?
Virologist Hendrik Streeck (45, Bonn University Hospital) explains the declining number of infections with the summer wave. If you include the unknown cases, there were “probably over a million new infections a day”. “This definitely slowed the current surge.” Furthermore, there is “probably a seasonal effect due to the unusually warm October”.
Streeck to BILD am Sonntag: “However, it can be assumed that the numbers will increase again in the course of the autumn. However, it is not clear how high the corona wave will be: it is also conceivable that the influence will return.”
Measurements cannot “break” the corona wave
Are new measures still needed if the number of infections increases?
Streeck is skeptical. The lesson of him more important than him from the summer wave: “He got up by himself and broke by himself, without the effect of measures. The summer wave proves it again. “For the virologist it is therefore clear:” The lesson of two and a half years of a pandemic is: measures can reduce a corona wave, but not break it “.
The virologist from Bonn advises politicians not to be guided by the daily look at the crown numbers. “Corona indicators should no longer play any role in public discussion,” Streeck said. “The only thing that matters here is whether the hospitals are threatened with immediate overload or not.”
He asks: “We need a system that tells us how many of the people who have been reported as coronary patients are really in hospital with Corona and how many with Corona alone. Unfortunately, Germany does not have it yet. “
Streeck: Politicians also have to admit mistakes
Streeck advises German politics, which has repeatedly relied on strict restrictions since the start of the pandemic, to take the Corona course and admit mistakes.
“We need to start addressing the pandemic, also to be better prepared for future pandemics,” says Streeck. “For the right conclusions, an honest and conscientious elaboration of errors and omissions is necessary, even on the political side”.
Lessons should also be learned about which reactions to Corona are correct. This treatment should take place “beyond the particular interests of individual actors or institutions,” says Streeck. It is not “an indictment, but to prepare for future pandemics”. Not to repeat mistakes.
One of the most famous virologists in Germany: Hendrik Streeck, head of the Institute of Virology at the University Hospital of Bonn
Streeck is skeptical of the mask requirement
Streeck, who is also a member of the Federal Government’s Council of Experts, advises against the general requirement to wear masks indoors. In practice, the effect of requesting the mask on the infection process is “not as great as you would like”. It is “acted as if the requirement of the mask in the population is a wonderful preventive method for controlling the corona wave and for easily overcoming autumn and winter.” But that’s wrong.
Streeck explains: “Most people don’t get infected where you should wear a mask; that is, while shopping or on the plane, but in private rooms, with family or friends. These are situations where there is no good reason to wear a mask. “
For the virologist it is clear: “It can no longer be our goal to avoid any infection”. Instead of prescribing a mask for everyone, it is necessary to “explain to people at particular risk in which situations a mask is important and how it is worn correctly”.
Streeck doesn’t think much about lifelong vaccination either: “For younger, healthier people, protection against severe coronary disease after three vaccinations is absolutely sufficient.” The Standing Vaccination Commission recommends the fourth spade to older citizens.
How dangerous is the Hellhound variant?
When asked about new vaccines adapted to the BA.5 variant, Streeck has no good news. “Two studies have shown that the vaccine adapted to the BA.5 variant does not protect against corona infection better than other vaccines. In other words, the booster eventually has the effect, regardless of the vaccine used. ”
The virologist states: “A booster vaccination increases protection against a severe course. According to the current state of knowledge, however, the new vaccine adapted to BA.5 does not represent an improvement over the older vaccines ”.
Streeck with Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (59, SPD, r.)
Variant BQ.1.1 is currently spreading in Germany – due to its high contagiousness, it has the nickname “Cerberus” (hellhound) from Greek mythology.
Is there any danger?
Streeck explains: “All the variants currently in circulation have in common that they mainly have escape immune mutations. This means: they escape our immune responses better than we have developed through infection or vaccination.” The result: “If we can assess this so far, it means that we will also see infections in people vaccinated as before.”
MA: “But these aren’t worse variants per se,” says Streeck. “Because immune escape doesn’t mean our immune responses can’t do anything against these variants. The human body develops an army of immune responses and individuals evade immune escape variants.”
