Suddenly, the virologist Streeck warns of the fourth corona wave - and considers a change to be elementary

In the corona pandemic, Germany is hoping for a summer with significant easing - but there could be a fourth wave in autumn.

Virologist Hendrik Streeck warns.

Berlin - For the first time since mid-March, the nationwide 7-day incidence on Friday, May 14th, according to the Robert Koch Institute, is just below 100 again, and the deaths related to Covid-19 have also decreased - in the so-called third wave seems to be a sigh of relief.

The first relaxations for vaccinated and genesis patients are taking effect, and outdoor restaurants are finally able to open their umbrellas again in some places.

Virologist Christian Drosten also recently raised hopes: "Summer can be quite good," said Drosten in ZDF's "heute journal".

Nevertheless, one shouldn't fall into reckless euphoria - despite a possible herd immunity, Corona was not simply defeated in autumn either, people without vaccination continue to have “full risk of becoming infected,” explained the expert.

Virologist Streeck on the future of the coronavirus: "It could be that we will experience a fourth wave in autumn"

Even if they often have opposing opinions, they agree on one fundamental assessment: The corona virus will by no means completely disappear from the scene in the further course of the year, both Christian Drosten and his colleague Hendrik Streeck assume.

Streeck even suspects that the crisis will worsen again after the summer.

“It could be that we will experience a fourth wave in autumn,” Streek told 

Focus

.

“We should use the time until then to optimize the structures and processes”.

Corona in Germany: Streeck calls for changes in coping with the pandemic

In order to be able to better counter a possible renewed increase in the numbers, but also “for the next pandemic”, Streeck has some ideas: For example, he is not calling for a kind of pandemic council at the federal level for the first time, which should be set up differently than the previous advisory staff Federal government. He would like that "intensive care physicians and other practitioners also play a role". Instead of the “cacophony of sources” from which the citizens had previously informed themselves, such a committee would also have given the current Corona policy “significantly more stability and credibility,” said the 43-year-old in an interview with 

Focus

.

For future pandemics, in his opinion, the indicators for the incidence of infection would also have to be reconsidered: "Infection numbers or seven-day incidences are not enough." Changes in care: “We have to make the professions more attractive, improve their pay and optimize training.

Billions in investments would be well used here. "

Corona wave in autumn: Lauterbach warns to be careful when returning

Unlike Drosten, however, Streeck is skeptical about the early development of herd immunity: "We just had the case of a vaccinated doctor who developed a high viral load in the throat and infected the family," said Streeck.

This could of course also be an isolated case, but “we have to watch it”.

At least Streeck's warning of a fourth wave is also shared by SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach: Despite the ongoing vaccination campaign, at least 20 percent of the population could still be unvaccinated at the end of the summer.

Lauterbach therefore particularly calls for greater caution when returning travelers - especially if they have been in mutation areas. 

(eu)

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