"Pandemic over": Why virologist Drosten feels misunderstood in his statement

Created: 01/15/2023 13:21

By: Yannick Hanke

In December 2022, Christian Drosten said that the corona pandemic was "over".

Or maybe not?

The virologist feels misunderstood.

And talks about XBB.1.5.

Berlin – This statement certainly made many people in Germany rejoice: It was the end of December 2022 when Christian Drosten spoke of the end of the corona pandemic in an interview.

Shortly thereafter, his colleague Hendrik Streeck agreed with the virologist at the Berlin Charité that the pandemic could be declared over, at least “from a virological point of view”.

But now Drosten is rowing back and feels misunderstood in his statement from back then, as reported by

.

The virologist also comments on the new corona subline XBB.1.5, which is spreading.

"Pandemic over" statement misunderstood by Christian Drosten - virologist clarifies corona misunderstanding

In the latest issue of his podcast

, Christian Drosten takes up his pandemic statements from the interview with the

.

In this context, the virologist speaks of a misunderstanding.

He would actually have said something different than what was finally received by parts of the public:

I think everyone who has heard me communicate knows that I don't really say such brash things in public.

Virologist Christian Drosten in his podcast "Coronavirus Update"

After all, Drosten can only say what he expects.

Namely, "that soon, in a few months, we will say: In hindsight, that was the first endemic wave of this virus, and that means the pandemic is over".

But you can't announce something like that in advance.

Misunderstood Corona statement by Drosten would have led to more calls for easing

His misunderstood pandemic statement in the

interview would also have led to politicians demanding further easing.

Drosten was quoted as follows at the time: "We are experiencing the first endemic wave of Sars-Cov-2 this winter, and in my opinion the pandemic is over".

Virologist Christian Drosten corrects a pandemic misunderstanding - and comments on the Corona subline XBB.1.5.

© Kay Nietfeld/Sina Schuldt/dpa/Montage

The virologist added: This means that after this winter there will be such a broad and resilient population immunity "that the virus can hardly get through in the summer".

Not least against the background of the coronavirus subline XBB.1.5, which has been and is increasingly being detected in the USA, Drosten can be heard again in the NDR info format after almost ten months.

Because the virologist also comments on this.

"Relative transferability so much greater": Corona sub-line XBB.1.5 will also dominate in Germany - according to Drosten

From Drosten's point of view, XBB.1.5 will also become dominant in Germany.

He gives the reason right away.

"Simply because the relative transmissibility of this virus is so much greater than the other viruses currently circulating."

And that benefit would be reminiscent of the days when the delta and omicron variants of Corona came along.

But that doesn't mean that a huge new wave is looming this winter.

also read

Moderator visits family in Baden-Württemberg and despairs of "village problem that one likes to forget"

TO READ

Severe weather warning in Germany – red alert in eleven districts

TO READ

Video released: Drivers hit air-conditioning stickers and then crash through the barrier

TO READ

Ex-engineer: Synthetic fuels could save a huge number of combustion engines - and the climate

TO READ

Lützerath evacuation: Activists wait in the tunnel - the fire brigade directs air to them via a hose

TO READ

Fancy a voyage of discovery?

My space

In fact, the number of detected cases of XBB.1.5 in Germany at the end of 2022 was still relatively low.

"The XBB.1.5 variant, which is widespread in the United States of America, had a share of one percent," said the weekly report from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Thursday evening, January 12, 2023. "Your share was in the previous weeks less than 0.5 percent".

And the Corona sub-line, like other sub-lines, is under observation.