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When does the pandemic end? Corona expert admits to Lanz: "I am very skeptical"

2021-04-09T04:28:59.886Z


Virologist Prof. Dr. Helga Rübsamen-Schaeff asked questions about coping with pandemics and the effect of vaccinations. She looks critically into the future.


Virologist Prof. Dr.

Helga Rübsamen-Schaeff asked questions about coping with pandemics and the effect of vaccinations.

She looks critically into the future.

Hamburg - When Markus Lanz is currently discussing current events in his talk show, he can hardly avoid the corona virus.

In addition to political affairs and survey lows for the CSU and CDU, various strategies in the fight against Covid-19 were a topic of the ZDF broadcast on April 6th.

Professor Helga Rübsamen-Schaeff was invited as an expert - the successful virologist and pharmaceutical entrepreneur painted a rather gloomy picture.

Corona pandemic in Germany: "Excellent vaccines" - but the virus could stay

"What is our goal in Germany?", One has to be clear about this in the fight against the virus, Rübsamen-Schaeff poses this question.

"What is the definition of 'after the pandemic' and" can we manage to make Germany Corona-free? "

The professor does not believe that the virus, which has had a firm grip on the world for over a year, can finally be defeated.

At the moment, the government's goal is above all to achieve the highest possible vaccination quota.

"The epidemiologists say we need 60-70 percent vaccination coverage to achieve what is known as herd immunity."

It is a “great miracle” that “highly effective” preparations have been developed in a very short time - but vaccinations are not a panacea.

Their effectiveness could decrease over time, and new mutations of the virus keep pushing forward.

“This consistent immunity - smallpox has been eradicated today, it was done.

I am very skeptical that this can be done with Corona, although we have excellent vaccines. "Rübsamen-Schaeff sees the disappointment of the people, and moderator Markus Lanz also asks with regard to some failed announcements by Health Minister Jens Spahn in the past:" Is that the pandemic of broken promises? ”.

In order to prevent even more disappointments as possible, there are numerous questions whose answers need to be reconsidered, the virologist and entrepreneur pleads.

Coronavirus: post-vaccination privileges?

"After the pandemic - when is that?

Many think that will be the case in June, or in July, when everyone has been vaccinated ”.

What would it mean to be vaccinated - do vaccinated people actually get privileges, as has already been discussed many times, and how long should these exist if it becomes clear that the “vaccines may not last forever”?

What happens to people who have been infected but not vaccinated?

They can be infected again a relatively short time after their initial infection.

Will a detailed test strategy be sufficient for the safe admission of non-vaccinated persons, for example at events?

Even if politicians try to find answers to these questions, further illnesses can still be expected, said Rübsamen-Schaeff.

Your appeal: "We absolutely need therapy development".

She considers hygiene measures such as wearing masks to be relevant even with extensive vaccination success.

Corona virus in Germany: Could the mutations mean that “everything could start all over again”?

The effect of the vaccinations, which can now be observed for 6 months, diminishes slightly over time - nevertheless the vaccination protection is "very good".

Infection with the mutations that have now emerged is not necessarily prevented by the preparations currently used - the vaccination mainly avoids the actual disease from the original variant.

"The virus continues to change, it will not stop here," says the professor, "all the more you have to expect that at some point the vaccinated will no longer be as well protected as they are now".

Rübsamen-Schaeff refers to other countries in which mutations such as variant P1 would have triggered a “new epidemic”.

“It's just difficult to assess how quickly something like that can come back to us” - then “everything could start all over again”.

(eu)

There is also a massive vaccination offensive in Austria - there should be hope for openings in May.

List of rubric lists: © Screenshot / ZDF

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-04-09

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