Recently there has been repeated criticism of the corona tests.
Time for Christian Drosten to take a stand in his podcast.
It is also about comparing the virus with the flu.
Christian Drosten provides weekly information about the latest findings in the Corona crisis in his NDR podcast.
In this episode, the virologist addresses the criticism of the tests.
He also gives insight into a study that compares the mortality from SARS-CoV-2 and the flu.
Berlin / Munich - The susceptibility of
corona tests to
errors
has recently become more and more of an issue.
There were cases of infected people who recovered after a while and were said to have suddenly been infected again with SARS-CoV-2 *.
In addition, there were test results that had to be revised quickly.
Particularly annoying, because a positive result ultimately leads to a
restriction of freedom
and can prevent many citizens from doing their job.
So how much can
test results
really be trusted?
In his
NDR Podcast "The coronavirus Update"
replied
Christian Drosten
the allegations in social media, often there would be false positives, and sometimes would only
fragments of the virus
detected.
"Without a full virus genome, there are no virus residues," emphasizes the virologist from Berlin.
It also rules out any mix-ups with other viruses.
Drosten podcast: "Our PCR was the first, but is no longer the only one"
Drosten assures: "The PCR is simply beyond doubt." The first publication on the
PCR test
last January
already
contained
data on
validation
.
“Our PCR was the first, but it is no longer the only one,” explains the director of the Berlin Charité: “Actually, all of the laboratories have now started to get the
tests from manufacturers
.
Some of them took over our PCR, but some also
modified it a bit
.
And what they all have in common is that in addition to our validation, they also did validations themselves. "
Because only then can the tests be resold: “You have to have them certified.” Overall, the 48-year-old attests that the PCR process is “a
very waterproof diagnostic
”.
PCR is the abbreviation for "polymerase chain reaction", or in German:
polymerase chain reaction
.
In order to prove the genetic makeup of the novel coronavirus, a
smear is taken from the mouth, nose or throat
.
Drosten podcast: If used incorrectly, a false negative test result cannot be ruled out
According to
Apotheken Umschau
, it is entirely possible to risk a false negative result if the material for the test is not taken from the correct location.
In addition, the
expensive rapid tests are
less reliable.
Which in turn could explain the cases described at the beginning.
There are basically
three possible results
: in addition to positive - i.e. infected - and negative also unclear.
In the latter case, it should of course be examined more closely.
Infectious
mortality can now also be measured more precisely
.
So how often an infection with SARS-CoV-2 leads to death.
Drosten illustrates the difference to the previous value, the case mortality *: “These are those who died from the known, let's say
reported or tested cases
.
And there we were always in the range of three or four percent. ”Now, on the basis of
antibody studies, it
can be estimated very well how many people were actually infected over a study period.
The previous unreported number * is thus largely dragged to light.
Drosten podcast: Infection mortality more precise and lower than case mortality
“Then of course you can also
precisely
record
the
deceased,
” says Drosten, who points out that the number is naturally falling compared to case mortality.
Because although
more infected people are registered
, the value of the fatalities remains unaffected.
For the USA, the virus expert cites a
meta-analysis
that compares it to the
seasonal flu
.
According to the study, Covid-19 has an infection mortality rate of 0.8 percent in the USA, and 0.05 percent for flu.
Conclusion:
"For every influenza death there are 16 Covid-19 deaths in the USA."
For
Germany
, the value can only be estimated.
It should be noted, however, that with the new virus,
mortality increases with old age
.
"But now the American population is younger than the German", Drosten clarifies: "That means that we would have to reckon with an infection
mortality rate
in Germany that, according to this analysis, approaches
one percent
or even just above one percent."
Overall, there are big differences in terms of the value in the
various age groups
.
According to
an analysis,
one in three people
over the age of 85
would
die of Covid-19 - Drosten draws a comparison here with smallpox in the Middle Ages and Ebola on the African continent -
whereas in
people
between 35 and 44 years of age
, the infection mortality is in Area
as with influenza
.
So here every 2000th infected person would not survive the disease.
(mg) * merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network
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