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Corona is "different from smallpox and measles" - Streeck warns of mandatory vaccination scenarios

2022-01-20T04:31:49.178Z


Corona is "different from smallpox and measles" - Streeck warns of mandatory vaccination scenarios Created: 2022-01-20 05:19 By: Martina Lippl Virologist Hendrik Streeck (44) is a critic of the corona vaccination requirement in Germany. ©Oliver Berg/dpa The Bonn virologist Hendrik Streeck (44) is a critic of the corona vaccination requirement. However, Streeck believes that a high vaccination


Corona is "different from smallpox and measles" - Streeck warns of mandatory vaccination scenarios

Created: 2022-01-20 05:19

By: Martina Lippl

Virologist Hendrik Streeck (44) is a critic of the corona vaccination requirement in Germany.

©Oliver Berg/dpa

The Bonn virologist Hendrik Streeck (44) is a critic of the corona vaccination requirement.

However, Streeck believes that a high vaccination rate is necessary.

Bonn - Does compulsory corona vaccination make sense in the fight against the corona pandemic?

Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is already making clear announcements about the schedule.

Virologist Hendrik Streeck, on the other hand, has his doubts.

A vaccination requirement is “medically critical,” explains the corona expert in an interview with the broadcaster ntv.

“But I have to anticipate one thing.

It's just a different situation when more people are vaccinated.

That's why you can only plead for people to get vaccinated," Streeck clarified in the ntv interview right at the start.

The virologist then quickly turns to the problem of compulsory vaccination.

In his opinion, there are several reasons, mostly of a medical nature: “For example, we cannot predict which variants will come.

We cannot predict what the protective effect and duration of protection will be like.

We can't say how long and how often we have to vaccinate," Streeck lists.

Vaccination against Corona - Streeck emphasizes the difference to measles and smallpox

Corona is different than measles or smallpox, for example.

In the case of these viral diseases, the disease can be eradicated through compulsory vaccination, or has been eradicated, as was the case with smallpox.

Vaccination against measles produces sterile immunity.

This means that a pathogen can no longer be passed on to third parties by the immune person who has either had the disease or has been vaccinated against it.

"Unfortunately, we don't have that against the corona virus," said Streeck.

measles

The Measles Protection Act has been in effect since March 1, 2020. All persons born after 1970 who are cared for in a community facility must provide proof of vaccination protection.

smallpox

In 1976, the obligation to vaccinate against smallpox in West Germany was lifted.

In 1979 the WHO declared smallpox eradicated.

Recovered and vaccinated - Streeck advocates equality

Streeck addresses another scenario, which he also considers half-baked with regard to compulsory vaccination: “What about someone who has lost a vaccination card and there are no more records?

How can he prove that he has been vaccinated?”

In the case of measles, for example, the antibody titer would be determined, the virologist explains. And that would raise the question again that those who have recovered should actually be equated with those who have been vaccinated. In his opinion, if vaccination is compulsory, it should be possible to prove that you have been vaccinated without having to show your yellow vaccination card. In his opinion, it is currently difficult to distinguish between a recovered person and a vaccinated person. This is also due to the very different current combinations of vaccinated and recovered. He thinks that alone, apart from the vaccination register, is difficult. Streeck, who also sits on the Federal Government's Expert Council, was surprised at the new determinations of the convalescence status by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). On top of that, vaccination certificates worth millions are expiring across Europe.

What comes after the Omicron variant?

According to Streeck, it is very speculative whether a new variant will develop from Omikron and in a completely different form.

It is difficult to predict whether Omikron will be the last variant of this form because it has been optimized.

"That's why I can't say whether there will be adapted vaccines or whether it will even be necessary in the future to have boosters at all."

However, the Bonn virologist assumes that an adapted omicron vaccine will be used.

Which should then be offered primarily to vulnerable groups.

At the moment, however, Streeck is skeptical as to whether everyone should be vaccinated in autumn and winter.

Even if the number of antibodies were to go down, the vaccination still provides good protection against a severe course caused by the immune response of the T cells.

Does the booster come after the booster?

Israel has started the fourth corona vaccination.

In Germany, too, the number four prick is being discussed.

(ml)

When will the corona pandemic be over?

Does a pandemic ever end?

The Spanish flu or smallpox show what we have learned from history.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-01-20

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