Virologist Streeck puts masks on one point about the corona vaccination: "Better effect"
Created: 02/12/2022, 20:17
By: Christina Denk
The facility-related compulsory vaccination is discussed again and again.
Virologist Hendrik Streeck has now explained his position and pointed out the benefits of masks.
Berlin – A mask protects better than a vaccination against the corona virus in one point?
This is how virologist Hendrik Streeck presented it in an interview.
Then why the vaccination requirement, some may ask.
One important detail makes the difference.
The virologist presents the facts, but is surprised by the debate.
Is there also hope for easing?
Virologist Hendrik Streeck puts masks on one point about the corona vaccination - "better effect"
Institution-related, general or no vaccination at all*?
The discussion is currently heating up.
The constitutional court has initially rejected an urgent application against the institution-related vaccination requirement.
It is scheduled to come into force on March 15.
However, many questions about implementation remain unanswered.
In an interview with
Welt
, the virologist Hendrik Streeck commented on the mandatory vaccination debate.
"Purely virological" he was very surprised.
He sees another, tried and tested method as even more effective than vaccination: wearing a mask.
There is "a very good study by the CDC in the USA that showed that an FFP2 mask * reduces the risk of infection by 80 percent, so that a mask has a better effect than protection from others than a vaccination," said Streeck in the Interview.
The number from the study to which the virologist refers had determined the effectiveness of an FFP2 mask as protection for others - how many particles a mask blocks when exhaling.
The only restriction: "If you wear them correctly," Streeck notes.
However, this should be the case with trained nursing staff, according to the virologist.
The FFP2 masks are said to be particularly effective against omicrons*.
Infection despite vaccination: Why then is vaccination compulsory?
- Streeck explains the difference
Mask with a better effect for protecting others: In healthcare facilities, this should be the top priority to protect patients.
In the case of a vaccination, on the other hand, it is known from "very good household studies from Denmark" that "a vaccinated person can pass on the virus just as much as an unvaccinated person," says Streeck.
So why the vaccination requirement, the question arises.
In an interview, Hendrik Streeck explains the higher protection of others when wearing a mask compared to vaccination.
© Screenshot/World
"The best protection that we can introduce or keep, especially in the care sector and for vulnerable groups, is wearing a mask," emphasizes Streeck in the interview.
However, vaccination makes sense in order not to overload the health system.
"We know that unvaccinated people are much more likely to have a severe course," says Streeck.
Long absences due to severe Covid courses among nursing staff could also burden the tense situation in the health system.
So mask to protect others, vaccination rather than self-protection and to protect the health system.
What is the current situation in the healthcare system?
In the current omicron wave*, the load on normal wards is increasing.
On February 10, the German Hospital Society reported 18,321 patients in hospitals who had tested positive.
Of these, 15,926 patients were treated on normal wards.
20 percent more than a week ago.
In the intensive care units there was an increase of 5.9 percent to 2395 Covid patients.
A chief physician sees the health system at the breaking point.
In the interview he calls for general vaccination.
Absolute number of patients | rise | |
normal station | 15,926 | 20% |
intensive care unit | 2395 | 5.9% |
Hendrik Streeck in an interview: No more PCR tests for free testing - "We know pretty well..."
There are constant innovations, not only in the compulsory vaccination debate.
A new regulation will also apply to the test regulations from Saturday (February 12).
A PCR test* is therefore only free and necessary after a positive antigen test.
A red warning message on the Corona-Warn-App is no longer sufficient for a PCR test.
Free testing can also be done with an antigen test.
The focus here is on relieving the burden on the PCR laboratories, but the innovation also makes sense from a virological point of view.
"We know pretty well that if the antigen test is negative, i.e. if it was previously positive and then becomes negative again, the patient is no longer infectious, and if you do without the PCR, that's absolutely right," he said stretch.
Hendrik Streeck: When will the easing come?
The federal government and the virologist seem to agree
Easing of the test regulations: Will there be further easing soon?
Possible if virologist Streeck has his way.
"We should take a very close look at what is happening in the hospitals and in the intensive care units," he warns.
However, regulations such as 2G or 3G could be gradually abolished.
This is different with the masks.
"The masks are something important and we should keep them and have to remember that next winter you should probably wear more masks again," said Streeck.
The federal government is currently planning a phased plan to abolish almost all corona rules from March 19th.
Only distance regulations and masks should remain, government officials told
Business Insider.
All current corona developments in Germany can be found in the news ticker.
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