Timo Lenzen/ DER SPIEGEL
Dear reader,
in certain parts of society, the corona pandemic has evidently lost its terror.
Despite record incidences, people with 2G plus status sit relaxed in restaurants.
In the Omikron hotspots in the north, positive reports in schools and day-care centers have recently become part of everyday life for both children and caregivers.
Just a year ago, if the case was positive, entire classes would be quarantined for two weeks.
In the meantime, in many cases not even the immediate neighbors of sick pupils are banned.
Why should they?
Small children usually don't notice the infection anyway, and adults (at least those who have been vaccinated or have recovered) don't notice any more than they do with a cold or mild flu.
Life goes on.
lock down?
I where!
However, whether Omikron really remains so harmless in Germany will only become apparent when the virus wall has advanced to older sections of the population and to regions with a desolate vaccination rate in south-eastern Germany.
It also remains to be seen to what extent the incidence of hospitalization and the occupancy of intensive care units will increase, which always lags behind the number of infections.
At the same time, there is currently a lot of evidence that omicron could initiate the transition to endemic.
Then Corona would probably have a roughly similar threat potential as the flu in some time.
The exciting question is: After several years of state of alert, will we be able to release the place that Corona occupies in our lives?
Never before have so many people dealt so intensively with health issues as recently, devoured the new status reports every day and followed the political debates that followed.
During the pandemic, rituals of their own have developed.
"Quick test is negative" is probably one of the most frequently sent WhatsApp messages in the past twelve months.
Even now, when the threat of Corona is noticeably reduced thanks to vaccinations, the small strips of plastic remain the guard rails for many decisions.
It's still hard to imagine, but if Corona spreads like the flu at some point, we'll have to look for another small talk topic, some people even a new purpose in life.
And we decide how to deal with the individual corona disease without the support of test centers and health authorities.
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The most important developments regarding Omikron
The federal government's pandemic policy: when will we get out of here - and how?
Countries like Great Britain are relaxing the measures despite high corona numbers.
And Germany?
Experts warn against exiting too early, doubts about compulsory vaccination are growing - and Omikron is not the end.
Omicron in the federal states: everything only half as bad?
As the number of cases rises, the pressure on the intensive care units eases.
What is the situation in the federal states and what do the latest data say about the omicron wave?
Fight against Omicron: This is how China's zero-Covid policy threatens the global economy The
Olympics are likely to cause Beijing's radical corona strategy to fail.
A wave of new lockdowns in China could set off a global downward spiral - and also hit many German companies hard.
Serotypic change in the virus: what if the omicron isn't the end after all?
Karl Lauterbach warns: The immunity after an omicron infection may not prevent infection with new variants.
Experts describe how the virus has changed and what follows.
Meltdown in day care center country
Care problems due to the corona pandemic: “It must be hell for parents”
Because the number of infections is increasing, daycare centers have to close completely or partially.
"This is not regular operation," says a manager from Berlin-Neukölln.
The false promise leads to tensions with the parents.
Doctors on the risk of corona: “The smaller the children are, the less they benefit from the vaccination – for themselves”
Johannes Huebner heads the pediatric infectiology department at a Munich clinic.
Here the doctor says what role children play in the number of infections - and what Omikron means for daycare centers.
Test confusion & status debate
Corona virus : why recovery is not the same as
recovery Anyone who has had a corona infection is now only considered recovered for 90 days – regardless of whether they have not been vaccinated or have been vaccinated twice.
But the truth is there are differences.
Bottleneck in PCR tests: why the corona numbers are becoming increasingly
inaccurate
Because the PCR tests are now also becoming scarce, the seven-day incidence only reflects the actual pandemic situation to a limited extent.
Too many warnings: is Omikron pushing the Corona-Warn-App to its limits?
The Robert Koch Institute gives pretty clear recommendations on what to do if the Corona warning app shows red.
In the omicron wave, however, some experts find these tips only of little help.
Covid-19 in global numbers
Confirmed cases: 342,828,257
Deaths: 5,575,969
Germany: 8,460,546 confirmed cases, 116,485 deaths
Sources: CSSE/Johns Hopkins University, as of January 21, 2022, 12:21 p.m.;
Robert Koch Institute, as of January 21, 2022, 3:21 a.m
News from research
Why the variant is spreading so rapidly: Advantage Omicron
In principle, Omicron is hardly more contagious than Delta, underpin new data.
The variant was able to prevail mainly because it bypasses the immune protection of vaccinated and recovered people.
Study on nocebo responses: Often, the vaccine is not to blame for side effects
arise after vaccination against Covid-19 complaints, it is obvious, that due to the drug.
However, people who only get saline sometimes develop symptoms.
And now?
Covid-19: The genes play a role in the loss of the sense of smell
A disturbance of the sense of smell and taste affects some Covid-infected people more likely than others.
US researchers can now narrow down which hereditary factors increase the risk.
Vaccination with a nasal spray: how live vaccines should protect against corona
Virologist Christian Drosten suspects that a nasal spray with a live vaccine could be the next step in the fight against Covid.
How does this vaccination work?
And how far is it in development?
What else was important
Corona death at the age of 40: "I'm not going anywhere. Unless, to mom in heaven."
He was young, fit and still had no chance: Kim David Berner died a year ago as a result of Covid-19.
His girlfriend and a young doctor accompanied him to his last breath.
This is his story.
Pandemic: How vulnerable are pets and their owners to Corona?
Pets can also become infected with the corona virus, as some cases in Germany have shown.
However, experts give the all-clear.
Contact
tracking flop
: the disappointing balance sheet of the Luca app
The health authorities are disillusioned with the hyped app.
Millions of data were collected.
But according to SPIEGEL research, they hardly helped to uncover corona infections.
When doctors falsify: Vaccination "à la Ingrid"
Some use fake injections, others "only" falsify the papers: The business with false corona vaccination certificates is growing - and doctors should also be involved.
Have a nice weekend
Yours, Mikhail Hengstenberg
