In Germany, calls for easing are getting louder.
Virologist Christian Drosten, however, warns of the consequences.
He is also dissatisfied with the German vaccination strategy.
Munich - easing?
But how - and at what price?
While large parts of the German population hope that social life will finally return to normal, one of the largest corona experts in the country is thinking of the possible consequences of an opening: Christian Drosten.
The top virologist from the Berlin Charité himself is divided.
Corona in Germany: "It will happen that the incidence will rise again"
On the one hand, he said on Tuesday in the NDR podcast “The Coronavirus Update”, “it is justified for social and economic considerations to withdraw measures.” But then comes the big but: “You just have to say what then also will happen.
It will happen that the incidence will rise again. "
Drosten is reminiscent of a "very realistic" model from the intensive care medical association Divi, which had called for a lockdown extension until April 1st.
Without this, there is a risk of a third wave of corona cases that is hardly controllable.
The warmer season of the year also only helps to a limited extent: He therefore expects a maximum reduction of 20 percent.
Another problem is that the virus has arrived in hard-to-reach parts of society, where there is little understanding of the measures.
"We have to factor in all of these things and be careful not to run naively into such a situation that later falls on the economy’s feet." In addition, the proportion of mutations has continued to grow.
Corona: Drosten wants to involve family and company doctors in the vaccination
At the same time, Drosten is dissatisfied with the federal and state vaccination strategy.
"A German perfectionism arose." If it were up to him, the general practitioners and company doctors would be involved in the vaccination, because: "The clock is ticking."
Drosten says that the “human factor” is not being used at the moment.
Family doctors “know exactly who should be vaccinated or who is ready to be vaccinated.
The company doctors also know exactly who among the workforce they would prefer to have vaccinated. ”Drosten's conclusion: As a family doctor or company doctor“ you know your Pappenheimer. ”
One problem for this is the regulation that in Europe the vaccine from Biontech and Pfizer must be stored at minus 80 degrees, in the USA, for example, only at minus 20 degrees.
"This opens up much better access to the fact that Biontech can be inoculated in general practitioners' practices."
Corona: The time interval between the first and second vaccination is too short for Drosten
The interval between the first and second vaccination is also too short for Drosten - it should be as large as possible.
In Great Britain, for example, the goal was to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible.
Those responsible would have ignored the official approval there.
The distance between the first and second vaccinations was increased there, which means that more people would have received a first dose.
This slowed down the speed of the virus.
He also suggests the same for Germany: If it was up to him, the time interval between vaccinations should be maximized in the second quarter.