Infect for the immune system?

Virologist Stöhr with controversial statement on the corona pandemic

Created: 04/27/2022, 04:52

By: Anna Lorenz

Opinions on how to deal with the corona virus are buzzing on the media stage.

Virologist Klaus Stöhr is now expressing himself again – with a controversial thesis on the end of the pandemic.

Cologne – Klaus Stöhr, a virologist and epidemiologist from Saxony-Anhalt, has so far made no secret of the fact that he does not find the handling of the corona pandemic in Germany optimal.

In particular, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) repeatedly received clear criticism from the 63-year-old scientist;

Most recently, he condemned Lauterbach's warning of an impending "killer variant" via Twitter as "a last attempt to continue to frighten people".

In previous interviews, Stöhr expressed the view that the pandemic would not end, but would simply become part of everyday life.

Now the virologist is speaking up again – and propagating an extreme view of the pandemic.

Corona virus – virologist Stöhr judges: “Like a seat belt”

"In Germany," according to the scientist so far, "there are still people who believe that the infection can be prevented." Stöhr now cemented this view of the pandemic ending by nothing less than the infection of society with the corona virus another interview that he gave to

.

In it, the epidemiologist points out that multiple infections and regular vaccinations will not lead to immunity to omicron and other virus mutations.

"One hundred percent protection against repeated reinfection, virus shedding and potentially severe disease progression" would not offer either.

Rather, these factors can be compared to a seat belt;

with each additional formation of antibodies, be it through infection or vaccination, the consequences of a further infection would probably be less severe, but in an emergency anything is still possible, including death.

Corona virus - virologist Stöhr with a daring thesis: infection instead of vaccination?

Acknowledging this, it seems logical from Stöhr’s perspective to categorize infections with corona as fundamentally welcome, as long as they are mild.

"Depending on age and health status, the infection reduces the likelihood of also becoming seriously ill with Covid-19 by more than 50 percent," the virologist points out in an interview.

In an earlier conversation with the television station in mid-March, Stöhr had already made it clear that "the epidemic [is] the final state of every pandemic, whether you like it or not." The political tactic to prevent the spread of infections, which the Federal Health Minister now spoke exclusively with the Munich Merkur, assessed Stöhr even then as unwise.

“The number of infections and hospitalizations is ultimately already certain.

Viewed from this harsh perspective, Stöhr's conclusion is consistent: "Infection after a previous vaccination will increase the already high effectiveness of the vaccination and, above all, make it more permanent".

Measures to prevent an increase in infection rates would therefore be the wrong means.

A booster vaccination for risk groups could be considered once a year, as long as well-founded effects can be demonstrated.

With regard to the rest of the population, according to the virologist, repeated infection is presumably “sufficient for most people”.

(askl)