The number of new corona infections continues to decline in Germany.
Experts are already warning of a third wave.
The corona mutations play a major role in this.
The number of
new corona infections is
currently
falling
steadily.
The hope that the
lockdown will
end soon
and that
the corona measures will be relaxed is
increasing.
But the optimism and joy about the falling numbers are currently getting a serious damper: the mutations are spreading more and more * and
experts
warn against premature relaxation of the measures and against a
third wave
, as
* echo24.de
reports.
The development of
Corona pandemic in Germany
makes
experts
worry: On the one hand, decreases
7-day incidence
, on the other hand, the share of increases
mutations
.
The British corona mutation in particular is becoming more and more common.
The problem: the British mutation B.1.1.7.
is more contagious and spreads faster than other types of corona.
Virologists
and
immunologists
are now talking about the
threat of
a
third wave
at the beginning of March
.
Experts warn: British mutation could cause a third wave
If the
mutation B.1.1.7.
spread further, the situation could spiral out of control again.
"The more you
relax
because of the falling
incidences
, the earlier the
third wave
with B.1.1.7 will develop," explains the
systems immunologist Michael Meyer-Hermann
to the
German Press Agency
.
According to the
immunologist, the
British mutation B.1.1.7 is
already in a phase of exponential growth "and the current measures are not sufficient to
slow
this development *.
Sooner or later, B.1.1.7 will dominate. "
According to new data from the
Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
, the proportion of
mutations
discovered in Great Britain rose
from just under six to more than 22 percent within two weeks.
This was announced by
Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU)
on Wednesday in Berlin.
Where do the numbers come from that provide information about the spread of the corona mutations?
In order
to determine
the
spread of the mutations
, the
Robert Koch Institute
evaluated
23,000 positive test results in a
representative sample
and other data, announced
Federal Health Minister Spahn
.
The RKI wants to provide further details on Wednesday.
This Friday, February 19, RKI bosses Lothar Wieler and Spahn want to give further assessments regarding the mutations.
The proportion of the
British mutation
doubles about every week.
The mutation that first appeared in South Africa had a share of 1.5 percent in Germany.
"We have to expect that the variant could soon become the dominant one for us too," said
Federal Health Minister Spahn
.
Great caution should therefore be exercised in
ending the
lockdown
and
easing the measures
.
Nevertheless, Spahn described it as "so far encouraging" that the number of infections in Germany * has fallen overall.
Wave of infections after Easter due to premature relaxation of the corona measures?
The
virologist Melanie Brinkmann
told the
Spiegel
: "We never get enough people
vaccinated
before the
mutants break
through." If
the current
corona measures are
relaxed,
she fears a massive wave of
infections in
the period after Easter
.
+
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn and RKI boss Lothar Wieler informed about the current corona situation in Germany.
Symbolic picture: dpa / Michael Kappeler
© Michael Kappeler / dpa
Jens Spahn said that he had nothing against opening plans that were based, for example, on
incidence values of
the
spread of
the
virus
.
But everyone should be aware of the importance of mutations.
It must continue to be checked every two weeks, "where we stand".
The Federal Minister of Health urged people in
Germany
to comply with the rules and to exercise caution: "We make the difference - every day."
When does the third wave threaten?
At this point in time, nobody can say for sure
whether and when there will be a
third corona wave
.
However, it is important not to rush anything in the current situation and
to loosen
the current
corona measures
too
quickly
.
This would only
provoke
a renewed
increase in the number of infections
.
The
vaccination strategy
in Germany
remains
a decisive factor in combating the
corona pandemic
.
Around three percent of people in
Germany
are now
vaccinated
against the
corona
virus.
All residents of a nursing home should have received a
vaccination offer
this week
.
It is expected that everyone over the age of 80 should receive a vaccination offer by the end of March.
According to calculations by the
federal government,
the vaccination campaign will take a long time: only towards the end of June should all over 60-year-olds have the opportunity to have a
vaccination
.
It is therefore all the more important to
continue to contain
the spread of the
coronavirus
through rules and
measures
until the majority of the population is vaccinated.
Karl Lauterbach
from the SPD
summarizes
the subject of the
lockdown end
and the
third wave
: “There must be an extension in any case.
We currently have the situation that the
British mutation
and in parts also the South African
mutation are
spreading strongly.
The total number of cases decreases and the number of mutations increases.
We will therefore get a
third wave
, which at the moment can hardly be averted because the much more contagious variants have already spread. "
* Echo24.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network.
List of rubric lists: © Sebastian Kahnert / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa