New corona drug Sotrovimab already in use - "Really grateful from a medical point of view"

Created: 2022-01-28 13:51

By: Kai Hartwig

The drug Sotrovimab is already being used in German intensive care units for corona patients.

© Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

In the fight against the corona virus, a new drug should help to get the pandemic under control.

An expert explains the use of "Sotrovimab".

Berlin – At the weekly federal press conference on the Corona situation, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and Lothar Wieler, head of the Robert Koch Institute, were in a positive mood.

The situation is currently under control, said the SPD politician.

"We currently have the omicron wave well under control," classified Lauterbach.

At the same time, however, he warned that this had not yet reached its “zenith” in Germany.

Despite the massive increase in the number of cases, RKI boss Wieler also sees the pandemic situation “not nearly as severe as it would be possible under Omikron”.

And calls for a change of course: “Burden of disease and disease severity” should be the central aspects of the corona strategy from now on.

New corona drug Sotrovimab – expert explains “passive immunization”

In addition to Lauterbach and Wieler, Christian Karagiannidis from the Faculty of Health at the University of Witten/Herdecke also attended the press conference.

The intensive care doctor explained that a new, extremely promising drug has been in use in the fight against the corona virus for a few days.

According to Karagiannidis, "since this week in Germany not only active immunization with the vaccines, but also passive immunization" is carried out as a new form of therapy for people suffering from corona.

"Since this week we have also had the drug Sotrovimab available against the omicron variant, which has been distributed across the board," added Karagiannidis.

New corona drug Sotrovimab should primarily help high-risk patients

One is "really grateful from a medical point of view" that this drug can now be used throughout Germany.

"I think that's remarkable because it's sold out in America and you can't actually get it anymore," said the doctor.

The Federal Ministry of Health took care of the procurement of Sotrovimab.

"Above all, it is good for unvaccinated risk patients or for risk patients who are unlikely to respond to the vaccination," said Karagiannidis about the exact area of ​​application of the corona drug.

A sufficient quantity of the preparation is available.

“We are in a good position, you can give it.

It is given by vein.

We have many vaccination centers in Germany, ”explained the expert.

"That's why it's important that we take advantage of this offer over the next few weeks.