"Is inevitable": Virologist Drosten fears the rapid spread of mutants and the fatal consequences of relaxation

In his podcast, virologist Christian Drosten speaks regularly about the current corona situation.

He sees some room for improvement in Germany.

Munich - Several mutants of the original corona virus have existed for some time.

The virus mutation from Great Britain in particular has occurred frequently in Germany.

In his podcast "Coronavirus Update" at NDR, virologist Christian Drosten said that he estimates the proportion of virus variant B.1.1.7 in infections in this country to be around 50 percent.

"I assume that it is around half," said Drosten.

And it won't stop there.

"The proportion will increase, that is inevitable," said the scientist.

"We know that this British variant is more widespread."

In Great Britain the development is already advanced, there are now only remnants of the other variants on the British Isles.

Proportionally, B.1.1.7 dominates completely.

In the meantime, more and more data on the spread of the corona variants are being collected within Germany.

A data analysis from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is to be published this week.

The empirical values ​​from German laboratories had revealed that the British mutant could be found among the corona samples of sick people in almost 30 percent of the cases.

Corona mutations: Virologist Christian Drosten warns of the negative consequences of loosening

Against this background, Drosten warned of the possible consequences of easing, which could be decided at the Corona summit on March 3.

These are absolutely justified from a social and economic point of view.

“You just have to say what's going to happen in a neutral way.

It will happen that the incidence will rise again, ”the virologist pointed out.

In addition, Drosten was critical of the speed of corona vaccinations in Germany.

It seems to him as if “a German perfectionism had emerged”.

Rather, the virus expert strongly recommended that general practitioners and company doctors be included in the vaccination process.

"You know his Pappenheimer as a family doctor," explained Drosten.

General practitioners would know their patients well enough to independently create a fair vaccination sequence.

It is the same with the company doctors.

They would know exactly which people within the workforce should be vaccinated preferentially.

"This human factor is not being used at the moment," said the virologist.

Video: Corona warning from Drosten - are at the beginning of a new wave

Drosten on corona vaccinations: Great Britain "shoots from all pipes"

In other countries, Drosten sees much greater progress in vaccination campaigns.

For example, the USA has now approved the storage of the Biontech / Pfizer vaccine from minus 20 degrees.

In Europe, however, a reference value of minus 80 degrees still applies.

“This opens up much better access to the fact that Biontech can be inoculated in general practitioners' practices,” explained Drosten.

England also has a significantly higher vaccination rate than Germany.

Politicians and regulatory authorities there had jointly decided to handle things differently due to special circumstances.

They said to themselves: “We are counting on the fastest possible inoculation.

We are shooting the vaccine from all cylinders. "

(Kh)