SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach expects the number of infections among corona-vaccinated people to rise.
The background is breakthrough infections.
The politician explained the dangers.
Berlin / Munich - The infection process is picking up speed.
The background is the predominant Corona variant Delta in Germany.
The fourth virus wave has begun, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced in its weekly report.
On Friday (August 20), the RKI reported more than 9,000 new infections.
Many people in Germany are protected from severe courses by the vaccinations.
SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach fears that the number of coronavirus cases among those vaccinated will increase.
The cause are so-called breakthrough infections.
Corona in Germany: Infection despite Covid vaccination?
Lauterbach with alarming prognosis
"Breakthrough infections occur in people whose corona vaccination was more than six months ago," Lauterbach told the newspapers of the
Funke media group
on Friday.
"So we will probably soon see more cases as soon as the vaccination of a number of people who have been vaccinated in Germany is more than six months ago," he said.
None of the corona vaccines are excepted.
The risk of a breakthrough in the vaccination increases after six months.
The vaccination campaign in Germany started on December 26, 2021.
48,419,275 people (58.2 percent of the total population) are fully vaccinated.
52,944,132 people (63.7 percent of the total population) received at least one dose of vaccine.
(Source: RKI, data status August 19, 2021)
Corona vaccination: Long-Covid after breakthrough vaccination according to Lauterbach probably
In the case of breakthrough infections, however, the disease is not as dangerous as in unvaccinated people.
However, the SPD politician was concerned about possible long-term consequences.
According to a new study, "19 percent of people with breakthroughs in vaccination have a long-covid problem." Furthermore, those who become infected after breakthrough vaccination are just as contagious as those who have not been vaccinated, albeit not for as long.
In this context, Lauterbach praised the recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) for booster vaccinations for particularly old people and people with a weakened immune system.
It is "simply plausible that the probability of a serious illness is higher in these groups in the event of a vaccination breakthrough," said Lauterbach.
Corona: Extended vaccination protection through booster vaccination - Spahn and Drosten disagree
According to the expert, new studies also assume that the effect of the vaccine is significantly extended after a third injection.
“The protection will not be permanent, but it will last significantly longer than half a year,” he told the
Funke media group
.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn is already considering the third Covid vaccination for everyone. "A booster vaccination is covered by the approvals, it strengthens and extends the vaccination protection", Jens Spahn explained to the
editorial network Germany (RND).
At this point, however, opinions split. Virologist Christian Drosten believes that a third vaccination only makes sense for the elderly and certain risk patients. "The protective effects of the corona vaccines are much better than, for example, the influenza vaccines," he explained to the German press agency. Current data recently showed that every tenth Covid patient in the clinic is vaccinated.
(mbr / dpa)