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Omicron subtype BA.2 the new fuel for the pandemic? Virologist Streeck with a blunt analysis

2022-02-12T13:53:57.505Z


Omicron subtype BA.2 the new fuel for the pandemic? Virologist Streeck with a blunt analysis Created: 02/12/2022, 14:41 By: Jennifer Lanzinger Hendrik Streeck, virologist at the Bonn University Hospital, is sitting in a laboratory. According to the findings of the virologist Hendrik Streeck, several infected people celebrated at the famous Gangelt carnival session at the beginning of the corona


Omicron subtype BA.2 the new fuel for the pandemic?

Virologist Streeck with a blunt analysis

Created: 02/12/2022, 14:41

By: Jennifer Lanzinger

Hendrik Streeck, virologist at the Bonn University Hospital, is sitting in a laboratory.

According to the findings of the virologist Hendrik Streeck, several infected people celebrated at the famous Gangelt carnival session at the beginning of the corona pandemic - and not just one.

©Oliver Berg/dpa

The corona numbers in Germany continue to rise rapidly.

But could the omicron subtype BA.2 push the numbers even higher?

Virologist Hendrik Streeck classifies the current situation.

Berlin – The number of corona cases in Germany continues to rise, but experts fear that there could be far more cases than reported.

On Wednesday, February 9, 2022, the number of new infections had already reached over 230,000 cases within the past 24 hours.

If the virologist Hendrik Streeck has his way, the corona virus cannot be eradicated.

In particular, the effects of the omicron subtype cannot yet be clearly assessed.

Does the omicron subtype BA.2 push the numbers up even further?

Virologist Streeck with a hint

As Hendrik Streeck explains in an interview with

ntv

, you have to be prepared for other corona variants.

While the much milder variant omicron is currently responsible for an almost stable infection process in intensive care units, the omicron subtype BA.2 is spreading further in Germany.

For the week up to January 23, the Robert Koch Institute reports a share of 5.1 percent in its weekly report from Thursday evening - around double the figure for the week before.

Accordingly, the omicron subtype BA.1 has dominated in Germany so far.

Video: That's what Drosten says about the omicron subtype BA2

BA.2 had spread widely in countries such as Denmark, among others.

German experts also expect this in Germany and fear that this could prolong the omicron wave.

The Charité virologist Christian Drosten said last Tuesday in the NDR podcast "The Corona Virus Update" that the infection protection measures in force here are likely to slow down the spread compared to other countries. Drosten had the two omicron subtypes with an auto metaphor explained and said about BA.2: "The engine has a few more horsepower." In its weekly report, the RKI writes that "the sub-line BA.2 is easier to transfer than BA.1 and has immune-vasive properties that these higher could justify transferability”.

How dangerous is the omicron subtype BA.2 really?

Hendrik Streeck classifies what is already known

In an interview with

ntv

, Hendrik Streeck explains that the influence of the omicron subtype BA.2 is currently not at all foreseeable.

The corona virus as a whole is therefore not eradicable, it must also be prepared for other variants.

However, as Streeck emphasizes in the interview, the BA.2 variant could possibly be easier to transfer than the omicron variant BA.1.

“What it means specifically for us now is that maybe if BA.2 were to become dominant for us - you hear me saying a lot of 'maybe' at the moment - we might see a kink in the downhill road.

So if the number of cases falls again, we'll get a plateau or a second peak.

But that's all speculation."

It will only become clear in the coming weeks whether the numbers could actually increase as a result of the sub-variant.

However, virologist Hendrik Streeck explains that this may have to be adjusted.

According to an association, the German health system will not be overburdened anytime soon.

Measures could therefore fall.

There is opposition from the schools – for a different reason.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-02-12

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