Corona development in Portugal: Drosten "worried" - and without "obvious explanations"
Created: 06/19/2022, 04:53
By: Michelle Brey
Virologist Christian Drosten commented on the new corona wave in Portugal.
© Kay Nietfeld / dpa
What's next for the corona virus in Germany?
The eyes of experts are focused on subvariant BA.5.
Berlin / Munich - It is the third summer with the corona virus in Germany - and the focus is again on a new variant: BA.5.
Experts agree that the subtype will prevail in this country - similar to Portugal.
According to the Robert Koch Institute, the corona variants are doubling every week.
A strong increase in infections in summer in Germany is possible.
For the virologist Christian Drosten, the development of the corona situation in Germany with the increase in the omicron subvariant BA.4 is not surprising.
However, one detail worries him.
Corona: Omicron subvariant BA.5 on the rise - Drosten "worried" by developments in Portugal
“The expectations I expressed at the beginning of spring have been confirmed.
We are not experiencing an infection-free summer this year, but this is not initially a threat, ”said the head of the Charité Virology Institute in Berlin at the request of the German Press Agency.
As of June 10, 2022, the seven-day incidence in Germany was 318.7 - and the trend is rising.
At the same time, the virologist also expressed concern.
He was "somewhat worried" about the development of the corona virus in Portugal.
Not only is the incidence increasing there, but also the number of deaths, the virologist continued.
"There are no obvious explanations for this, because other European countries also have BA.5 increases without an increase in mortality," he explained.
For more clarity, one has to wait a little longer: “In a month we will know whether something similar is also happening to us.” Subvariant BA.5 is considered more contagious, and the WHO classified it as “worrying”.
Corona in autumn and winter: Drosten expects “long-lasting wave of infections”
With a view to autumn and winter, Drosten expects, in his own words, “another long-lasting wave of infection” with a particularly large number of lost working days as a result if no interventions have taken place in the meantime.
Two effects are responsible:
“First of all, the majority of the population will lose transmission protection by autumn, especially since the variants that are now circulating are even more transmissible,” says Drosten.
"Secondly, because of the vaccination success achieved, the policy will initially apply fewer controls," he continued.
Drosten assumes that there will be many cases by October at the latest.
Unlike a severe flu epidemic, this could last until March and put a strain on personnel-sensitive areas.
"It will be difficult to mitigate this with a vaccination campaign alone," explained the virologist.
Those who are not yet vaccinated should “once again be encouraged to do so”.
Drosten advised older people and people who belong to a risk group to talk to their doctor about a refresher.
also read
Corona summer wave: Virologist Stöhr shoots against Lauterbach reaction - "Why?"
Summer wave because of BA.5: Lauterbach announces new corona vaccines for autumn
Corona: Winter and autumn in Germany - when will precautions be taken?
The calls for early precautions for the fall and winter are getting louder.
For example, Doctors President Klaus Rheinhard called on the Federal Ministry of Health led by Karl Lauterbach (SPD) to coordinate arrangements with the federal states.
"We should decide on an agreement on the goals before the summer break," said Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt to
Zeit.de.
That could then be specified in September.
"I want to prevent states, municipalities, schools and nursing homes from receiving a package of measures decided by the Federal Council on Friday afternoon that they have to put into effect on Monday," she explained.
Last but not least, the Corona Expert Council had also issued an urgent warning - and illustrated three scenarios for autumn and winter.
(mbr with material from dpa)
