Professor Dr. Clemens Wendtner is one of the coronavirus experts. He has the latest facts and clarifies the most important questions.
- Around 50 Corona * sufferers have already been treated at Schwabing Hospital.
- Dr. Clemens Wendtner is head of infectious diseases and is researching the life-threatening lung disease.
- It might take longer with a vaccine, but an effective drug could be available soon.
Munich - How dangerous is the current situation really for each of us? What is fact, what is just a wild rumor? Which fears are realistic, what new findings do the scientists have ? Professor Dr. Clemens Wendtner (54) is not one who pushes himself to the fore - but the Munich Clinic expert is also at the forefront nationwide in the fight against the corona crisis. The chief doctor heads the infectiology department at Schwabing Hospital - the specialist center with the most Covid 19 cases * in Germany to date. "We have already treated about 50 patients. There are currently 19 patients, six of them in the intensive care unit, ”Wendtner reports.
Coronavirus: Schwabing researches side by side with the Charité
Behind the scenes, the internationally renowned scientist is researching side by side with the chief virologist of the Charité University Hospital in Berlin, Professor Christian Drosten, on medicines for the potentially life-threatening lung disease *. A new, promising product is to be used in the Munich Clinic within the next two weeks. “We have the first encouraging signs that this could result in an effective form of therapy. We are now working flat out to corroborate this theory in a clinical trial . If this is successful, approval for comprehensive treatment could be possible in a few months, ”says Wendtner.
In addition to his job in the clinic, he is considered a close medical advisor to the Bavarian Ministry of Health. For our newspaper, the expert discusses and analyzes the latest facts about the corona pandemic - with a special view of the situation in Munich and in the region.
Corona virus: will there be a remedy soon? This is what the treatment looks like
Unlike the vaccine issue, scientists are hopeful that they will soon have an effective drug against Covid-19 . This hope nourishes a substance called remdesivir . It was originally developed in the fight against Ebola, but was never approved for the treatment of the disease because of its unsuccessful success. In contrast, initial laboratory tests with cell cultures indicate that remdesivir helps much better with the lung disease Covid-19 . “It obviously reduces the viral load - in other words, the number of viruses - and pneumonia quickly improves. This has already emerged in individual patients, ”says Wendtner.
But so far, remdesivir has only been used occasionally as part of so-called individual healing trials , and there is still no approval for widespread use. That is why a large study is to be started at 50 clinics worldwide. In Germany, in addition to the university hospitals in Düsseldorf and Hamburg-Eppendorf, the Munich Clinic Schwabing also takes part . "The new drug is expected to be available from us within one to two weeks," reports Wendtner.
Munich Clinic Schwabing is the corona treatment center with the most patients in Germany to date.
© Klaus Haag
Remdesivir is a substance in powder form. It is diluted with saline and given to the patient as an infusion into the vein over several days. Each of the infusions lasts approximately 30 to 60 minutes. The global large-scale study is to initially include 1000 patients. Up to 20 patients are initially planned in Munich. "An increase is possible," explains Wendtner.
In addition, a malaria remedy in combination with an antibiotic is currently being tried. It was used in 20 patients under the leadership of doctors in Marseille. The virus was already contained within six days and the patients could be discharged earlier. Wendtner is, however, speculating whether this combination is suitable for mass therapy with Covid-19. "You still have to be careful. We will only use it in isolated cases after a very critical review. ”The same applies to an active ingredient combination that is actually administered in tablet form against HIV. "A new study from China shows that, unfortunately, this product does not have any great advantages in the treatment of Covid-19."
Coronavirus: when is there a vaccine?
From the bogeyman of some football fanatics to the savior of the world? The entrepreneur Dietmar Hopp hopes that his Tübingen company CureVac will be able to provide a vaccine by autumn. But scientists are more likely to put the brakes on euphoria: "We assume that development will take at least a year and that a vaccine will not be available until 2021 *," says Wendtner. “As the majority owner of the company, Mr. Hopp seems to be particularly optimistic about this issue. Of course I would be happy if his company actually makes it through autumn, but personally I don't expect it. ”
Corona virus: What are the effects of bans on contacts and curfews?
"If I don't have any cold symptoms, then I can't infect anyone" - that's a fatal misconception, as the Schwabingen chief physician emphasizes: "As a corona patient, you can infect others very easily , even if you feel perfectly healthy . It is therefore irresponsible not to strictly follow the rules for restricting social life now. The Prime Minister unequivocally once again told the people on Friday: stay home! That was not a request, but a very serious request . It is imperative to avoid crowds of people now. The exit restrictions were without alternative. We can only hope that some insightful people will finally come to their senses - it is now also a matter of life and death. ”
Corona: How long will there be school and daycare closures?
It is already being discussed behind the scenes in expert circles to keep schools and kindergartens closed beyond the end of the Easter holidays . Professor Wendtner does not want to get involved in the political discussion, but says from a medical point of view: "You have to wait and see whether the previous timeframe for the closures is sufficient to effectively contain the virus."
Coronavirus: are mutations threatening soon? Wendtner provides information
In the fight against influenza, the vaccine has to be adjusted or optimized every year before the start of the flu season because the virus changes. Does Corona also face this problem? "It could be that we have a changed corona virus in autumn - similar to the case with influenza," says Wendtner. "However, according to initial studies, it looks as if the new corona viruses are not as keen to mutate as the influenza viruses."
Coronavirus: This is how the patients cured in Schwabing
Nine of the first 14 corona patients in Germany were treated in the Schwabing hospital - all of them from the "Webasto cluster". Employees of the Starnberg company were infected by Chinese colleagues. "All nine patients are doing well , they are considered cured," says Wendtner, who is still in contact with them. As in many other cases, they had cured the disease after about two to three weeks , and no viruses were detectable in at least two swab tests.
However, the infection is not always so mild. “In the beginning, every infected person was treated in the clinic. In the meantime, due to the abundance of infections - in accordance with the authorities as everywhere in Germany - we only accept patients who show symptoms , ie who have symptoms, ”explains Wendtner. “About two thirds of these patients are treated in isolation in a normal ward , and about a third of those affected need intensive medical care . At the moment, there are six of 19 Covid patients who are cared for in Schwabing. ”
Coronavirus: after infection - can you be infected again?
Encouraging news: There is growing evidence that it is not possible to catch the infection again after surviving a corona infection. "We currently assume that these patients are immune. However, we have to keep a close eye on the process for a few months, ”says Wendtner. His team has now succeeded in detecting antibodies in the blood of recovered patients . "Although they still carry corona viruses, they are no longer contagious," reports the infectiologist. Now it is a matter of developing a safe, mass-compatible antibody test . That could be a key to sparing more people from precautionary isolation.
Coronavirus: what new symptoms are there?
Fever, cough and shortness of breath are known as the typical symptoms - but according to Professor Wendtner , about half of the patients also develop disorders of the sense of smell and taste . "This disorder lasts for several days, but then disappears," says the infectiologist. "We suspect that the coronaviruses infiltrate special receptors and olfactory cells." The symptoms are now to be examined in more detail in cooperation with the ENT specialists at Munich Clinic Schwabing.
Corona: Is it possible to get infected while shopping?
Those who go shopping in the supermarket do not have to fear a massively increased risk of infection . “The decisive factor is disciplined compliance with the hygiene rules - no physical proximity in the aisles, keeping your distance at the cash register, coughing into the crook of your arms, and washing your hands thoroughly afterwards. "If you follow the hygiene rules, you don't really need a face mask or gloves, " Wendtner advises. The fear of infection from contaminated packaging is also unfounded. “The novel corona viruses do not have a long survival time on packaging . Infection from a smear infection - for example, a few splashes of cough secretion on the noodle pack or tiny droplets of nasal mucus on the tomato - is very unlikely. "
Coronavirus: These are the dangerous rumors
The worst Fakenews in Wendtner's eyes: "Some people say that the corona crisis should not be taken seriously, after all there have always been corona viruses - for example in cows and camels . Such statements are irresponsible . Because we are talking about a completely new type of virus that only belongs to the family of corona viruses, but cannot be compared in the slightest with the known pathogens. ”
Corona virus: "Younger people can also die from it"
However, the misconception that the virus only seriously affects older people is always persistent. They are particularly at risk - especially if they suffer from previous illnesses. “Fortunately, most patients have had mild symptoms so far, especially the younger ones. But we also have to be honest: Corona not only meets the old, it can also tear younger people out of the middle of life . They can become so seriously ill that they have to be ventilated , and deaths are also not excluded in this age group , ”warns Wendter. "There are currently Covid 19 patients at our intensive care unit in Schwabing, who are well under 50 years old." Their number will increase significantly. “All clinics now have to use every minute and all their capacities to prepare as well as possible for the situation to worsen.
If the infections continue to increase, we will see a lot more younger patients with severe courses - similar to Italy. ”The background: According to expert estimates, we have a time advantage of about two weeks in Germany compared to Italy. If we do not use it, we are faced with a similar number of cases as in Lombardy . "That is why we all have to take the threat very, very seriously and absolutely adhere to the rules for containment of the virus," warns the infectiologist.
* Merkur.de is part of the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editors network