The Munich virologist Ulrike Protzer expects a new wave of corona infections in autumn and advocates preparations for this in the Infection Protection Act. “It’s just like that every autumn that the corona viruses return,” she said in an interview with BR24. “And why should it be any different with the Sars coronavirus 2?”
It is now important to be prepared. Above all, it is important to protect the elderly, according to the director of the Institute for Virology at the Technical University of Munich. According to Protzer, that means consistently offering a third or fourth vaccination, “not just at the end of September or October, but really at the beginning of September, before the wave rolls in. Unfortunately, we were too late last year.”
Protzer: Fourth vaccination for the elderly
In addition, the Infection Protection Act – as requested by RKI President Lothar Wieler – should be prepared in such a way that measures can be taken quickly if they are needed. Politicians shouldn’t lose any time working on a new law, Wieler had demanded in the “Interview of the Week” on BR24.
Protzer emphasized that for those under the age of 60 it was first important to complete the vaccination protection with a third vaccination. “In a relatively large study, we saw really convincingly that you need contact three times. That means: three vaccinations or two vaccinations, one infection. Many have now gone through it. The fourth vaccination is really for them at the moment groups of people at risk and for the elderly,” explained Protzer.
“Don’t let the virus rush through”
The Munich virologist is critical of letting the virus run through without further measures: “We’ve been doing that more or less for the last month and a half. That’s also possible for people who have a healthy immune system. But we also have fellow citizens who who just don’t have that, who have just had chemotherapy, who have had radiation therapy, who may have had a congenital immune deficiency or who are simply advanced in age just don’t let it slip through.”
As an indication of the possible measures in autumn, Protzer recommends the number of hospital admissions due to a corona infection. This is a quick indicator of the number of serious illnesses.
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