Timo Lenzen / DER SPIEGEL
Dear readers,
Records in the number of infected people, overwhelmed health authorities and more sick people in the intensive care units - the corona crisis produces a steady stream of bad news.
And that for weeks.
Reason enough to be really happy when there is variety.
This week, good news went around the world from Mainz: "To be honest, this is the best news I have received since January 10," wrote virus expert Florian Krammer from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in the US on Monday on Twitter.
Charité researcher Leif Erik Sander said in an interview with SPIEGEL that he felt joy and relief.
The reactions to the first interim result for a potential corona vaccine in phase III of the investigations could hardly be better.
According to the evaluation, the vaccine from Biontech and Pfizer prevents at least 90 percent of Covid-19 diseases.
That is a significantly better value than expected.
And best of all: The results are not only a success story for Pfizer and Biontech, but also raise hopes for other vaccine research projects that are in the final phase III, as my colleagues Julia Merlot and Julia Köppe report.
I still have to add a little water to the wine: The Biontech report only relates to interim results and it is unclear whether the vaccine can prevent infections or just illnesses.
And who should be vaccinated first when the substance is approved is still being discussed.
As well as the question of how to transport around 1.3 billion vaccine doses around the world.
My colleagues Christoph Seidler, Claus Hecking and Julia Merlot have the relevant backgrounds.
"Back to the future - how much Obama do Biden and Harris dare?" Is the title of the new SPIEGEL. You
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In the shutdown, many people lose their anticipation for Christmas.
Markets are canceled, Germans forego going to restaurants.
Resourceful hosts lure with "goose to go".
Photo: Tobias Hase / dpa
Hope from Mainz
Biontech and Co .: where the world is in the vaccine race
The interim results of the Biontech study are also optimistic with a view to further corona vaccine projects.
But where are they?
And when will a vaccination be available on the market?
The overview.
Logistics for corona vaccine: how do you keep 1.3 billion doses at minus 70 degrees?
The Biontech vaccine BNT162b2 should go around the world - but the cold chain must not be interrupted.
German transport experts are supposed to help solve the problem.
Vaccine manufacturer: will Biontech make the leap from Mainz to the top of the world?
A German company ensures a breakthrough in the Covid-19 vaccine.
Now it's up to her to turn it into a global business - otherwise, in the end, others may win the race.
Debate over distribution: Why not vaccinate the younger ones first
The interim results of the Biontech vaccination study raise hope.
But who should get the material first?
Instead of vaccinating the risk groups quickly, there is discussion about giving priority to younger people.
What is to be made of it?
Reconstruction of the "Lightspeed" project: This is how the search for the Biontech vaccine went
The development of the BNT162b2 vaccine is a mega-project in German company history.
A race against time - and against all conventions.
The chronology.
Charité researcher on corona vaccination: "This is a turning point"
We may have some good news in the fight against the virus before Christmas, believes Charité researcher Leif Erik Sander.
Covid-19 in worldwide numbers
Confirmed Cases: 52,850,543
Deaths: 1,295,185
Recovered from the disease: 34,219,802
Germany: 751,095 confirmed sick people, 473,236 recovered (estimated), 12,200 deaths
Sources: CSSE / Johns Hopkins University, as of November 13, 2020, 12:26 p.m.
Robert Koch Institute, as of November 13, 2020, 8:10 a.m.
Research news
Corona pandemic: Superspreader locations are responsible for the majority of infections.
Prolonged contact with many people causes corona infections to rise.
This is again made clear by a current study.
The researchers also see an opportunity in the knowledge.
Simulation of the course of the pandemic: These are the scenarios for the Corona winter
Calculations by researchers show: Without the "shutdown light", hundreds of thousands of Germans would be infected around Christmas - every day.
Are the countermeasures sufficient?
Criticism of the new infection protection law: The questionable power of the incidence
value of 50 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants: This limit value for serious corona measures should be enshrined in law.
Some scientists find this extremely problematic.
How did the number come about?
What else was important
Health Minister Spahn: In an emergency, Corona-positives should also continue to work.Contact
persons of corona infected people and people who have tested positive should continue to work if necessary: With this statement, Health Minister Spahn causes a lack of understanding.
Critics are calling for a change in strategy.
Learning in the pandemic: nationwide more than 3200 schools without regular operation
Which school strategy is correct in the pandemic?
According to media reports, thousands of schools have already restricted classroom teaching.
But there is no evidence of a uniform approach by the federal states.
"Think outside the box" demonstration in Leipzig: two courts, two opinions
The Leipzig Administrative Court wanted the demonstration against the Corona measures to be moved from the city center - the Bautzen Higher Administrative Court allowed it to be there.
The reasons for the resolutions are now available.
Biden's Corona Plan: Dangerous Delay
Joe Biden wants to make Corona the focus of his presidency and has presented initial proposals.
But what happens if the pandemic fight under Trump stands still for more than two months?
Corona crisis: Scholz holds out the prospect of new financial aid for the cultural sector
The culture and events sector is particularly suffering from the pandemic.
Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is now thinking about help in the event of cancellations - and reassures him: Even with a longer corona crisis, the money will not run out.
Several corona cases in the Bundesliga: Complete Hoffenheim team goes into quarantine
Two new findings on Tuesday, now three more have been added: No Bundesliga club has as many corona cases as Hoffenheim.
The sports director says: "We cannot explain the accumulation."
Reading material for the weekend
Five mistakes, one ray of hope: the failures of the German corona policy and their consequences
The second wave threatens to hit Germany worse than the first.
Why is that and what can the federal and state governments do now to save the situation?
Psychoanalysts on Corona: "
There
is an even greater fear behind the fear of the virus"
For 83-year-old Dietmar Schmeiser, the Covid-19 pandemic is not the first major crisis.
Here he talks about processing personal lows and explains how we should deal with global problems.
Three doctors report on the need in the clinics: "It is deceptive to think that we have the disease under control"
How does the treatment of Covid patients work?
And what happens if the number of infections continues to rise?
A pulmonologist, a chief physician and an anesthetist talk about their everyday lives.
Have a nice weekend
Your Kurt Stukenberg
What you need to know about the virus
We have put together all the answers to the most important questions about the coronavirus for you here.
You can find more current developments at SPIEGEL.de.
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