Read the video transcript here
Jens Spahn, Federal
Minister of Health:
"A summer that is too carefree must not turn into a worry autumn."
There are more warnings again - about the delta variant of the corona virus.
Lothar Wieler, RKI boss
"And there are also larger outbreaks through Delta, but currently only a few."
It is even more contagious than the alpha, formerly "British" variant.
Do we have to reckon with a heavy fourth wave now?
Nina Weber, DER SPIEGEL Wissenschaft:
“It's totally difficult to say whether our numbers will increase or not. I think it's very important that you don't rely on it to stay as good as it is now. I think we all made the mistake last summer, when everyone relaxed incredibly and thought: Somehow this pandemic is already over. And if we remember how long ago it was last summer and everything that happened in between, we were very wrong with our relaxation. Unfortunately."
The absolute numbers of infections in Germany are still falling, and most federal states have now reached low single-digit 7-day incidences.
However, the
proportion of
the more contagious Delta variant among the registered infections is increasing rapidly:
A few weeks ago the delta variant could only be detected in a few percent of all positive corona tests, the Robert Koch Institute estimates that around half of all cases can now be attributed to the delta variant.
In other European countries, the delta variant has already displaced the other virus variants far more - Portugal and Great Britain are at the top.
But it is also becoming more and more popular in popular holiday destinations such as Spain and Italy.
What makes variant B.1.617.2, which was first discovered in India, so much more contagious?
Nina Weber, DER SPIEGEL Wissenschaft:
»It is very likely that people who have caught the Delta variant and have become infected produce more viruses and excrete more viruses.
And of course that is an enormous advantage for the virus. "
In addition, the delta variant is transmitted more easily because it can dock better with the mutated spike proteins to the receptors of human cells in order to transfer the harmful genetic material.
In addition, the virus has changed in such a way that antibodies and T cells can no longer neutralize it as reliably.
Compared to other variants, the delta variant is less likely to be recognized by the body as a danger.
A report from Australia, where scientists claim to have detected infections with the Delta variant in very brief encounters, is particularly worrying these days.
In two cases, people were infected in a shopping mall after meeting them for only five to ten seconds.
The cases are documented by recordings from surveillance cameras.
Nina Weber, DER SPIEGEL Wissenschaft:
»Well, the case in Australia, which it really emphasizes, is from my point of view that it is really important that we do not rush to abolish the mask requirement because there was no mask requirement at the time and then just this short encounter was enough for an infection. "
How much more contagious the delta variant is, the so-called R0 number gives a rough idea, i.e. the theoretical distribution value in a completely non-immune population, without any protective measures.
Nina Weber, DER SPIEGEL Wissenschaft:
“With the original virus, it was in the range of 2.5 to 3. With the alpha variant, it was already in the range between 3.5 and 5, and with Delta it is now estimated that it is in the range is between 5 and 7.
So, as I said, without countermeasures on an immunologically unprotected population.
And that's an important point: Neither of us applies anymore. "
Especially after two doses, the Covid-19 vaccines from Biontech and AstraZeneca seem to continue to protect well against serious illnesses caused by the virus line.
The first vaccination alone, however, offers little protection.
Despite a high vaccination rate, Great Britain is now recording many thousands of cases a day again, and easing had to be reversed.
In Russia, the delta variant is spreading so rapidly that a corona vaccination is now mandatory for numerous professional groups.
Indonesia is also fighting against "Delta" with more than 400 deaths a day.
South Africa has again imposed lockdowns due to another delta wave and even Australia, which has hardly had any corona cases so far, has to contain a delta outbreak with hundreds of infected people and has imposed a fortnightly lockdown in Sydney.
Do we have to completely rethink the pandemic measures?
Nina Weber, DER SPIEGEL Wissenschaft:
»It's still a coronavirus and the same measures help that helped before.
So keep your distance, wear a mask, meet outside instead of inside.
Rapid tests may even work better because you have a higher viral load and therefore rapid tests work better.
It's really about the air mostly.
It is always very important that you disinfect your hands when you go in anywhere.
Disinfecting your hands is not bad per se, but if you have a virus in the air, even a nicely disinfected hand will not help you.
Then a well-fitting FFP2 mask is really what you need. "
After all, the high incidences seem to have less dramatic consequences in populations with a relatively high vaccination rate. It is not yet clear whether the delta variant is more dangerous or more deadly than other variants.
Nina Weber, DER SPIEGEL Wissenschaft:
“First of all, that's good news that you can already see in Great Britain: The increasing number of cases is no longer so strongly linked to deaths. It will be the same with us. The vaccinations offer good protection. And that makes increasing case numbers a little less threatening on the one hand, but there are still enough unvaccinated people and it really doesn't help them that the people who are vaccinated no longer have such a great risk . I believe that it is in everyone's interest that we keep the number of cases as low as possible, especially when it comes to them. "
Even Israel, which is far advanced in vaccination rates compared to most other countries, has reintroduced the mask requirement indoors due to the increasing numbers of Delta infections.
