Virologist Streeck thinks he knows “what the corona virus wants” – and sees a new variant coming

Created: 05/07/2022, 05:08

By: Yasina Hipp

The Bonn virologist Hendrik Streeck expects a new variant of the corona virus in autumn.

© picture alliance/dpa/Rolf Vennenbernd

The coronavirus is constantly evolving, producing new variants and subtypes.

Virologist Hendrik Streeck sees this coming to Germany in a few months.

Bonn - In South Africa, the omicron subtypes BA.4 and BA.5 are currently responsible for exponentially increasing numbers of infections, in the USA another omicron variant of the corona virus called BA.2.12.1 is attracting attention.

All three are marked with the L452R mutation, which increases contagiousness.

For Germany, virologists like Christian Drosten are giving the all-clear, at least for the moment.

The strong wave with the Omikron variant BA.2 and summery temperatures should initially provide relaxation.

But what happens next in autumn and winter?

The Bonn virologist Hendrik Streeck has an answer for this.

Virologist Streeck: Infection numbers and vaccination rate "rather an estimation factor"

In an interview with

, the scientist initially criticizes the incomplete picture that can currently be formed of the corona situation.

Streeck says that "we" have not yet managed to properly determine the incidence.

According to Streeck, a representative sample would have had to be made for this a long time ago, and this would have had to be repeated again and again.

“We” would have made ourselves “very dependent” in determining the number of infections “on how testing is actually carried out, how it is transmitted and who is actually being tested at all,” says Streeck.

In addition to the number of infections, the vaccination rate to date is “more of an estimation factor”.

He does not make it clear who the 44-year-old means by “we” exactly.

New variants of the virus will continue to appear in the future.

According to Streeck, the virus wants “two things”.

On the one hand, it wants to escape the body's immune response, i.e. commit the so-called immune escape.

On the other hand, it wants to be easily transferrable.

According to the Bonn virologist, one can see a development in both aspects, both with Omikron and with other variants.

It can therefore be expected “that we may have a new variant in autumn or winter that is easier to transmit and may represent an additional immune escape”.

It cannot be predicted whether this variant will then cause worse courses and an increase in hospital admissions.

But, according to Hendrik Streeck, that is "not what the virus actually wants".

Streeck advocates shortening the isolation period

In some federal states, infected people only have to go into isolation for five days after a positive test.

Streeck considers this shortening to be correct, especially with regard to the critical infrastructure.

Nevertheless, he appeals to the population: "Therefore, it is generally advisable that if you feel sick, that you stay at home." After the five days you should continue to be careful, test yourself and wear a mask, the probability then "the virus to pass on has become much less”.