Timo Lenzen / DER SPIEGEL
Dear readers,
did you feel the same way?
For weeks, looking at the corona map of Germany was a mood lift.
The whole country shone in gray (at least on the maps from SPIEGEL.de, other media use different color schemes), even the regions that were still deep red in the spring from the infection figures fit into the pleasing picture.
The summer (and the vaccinations) had apparently put Corona on the run.
Now they appear again, the small, red dots. No wonder: the incidence has been rising steadily for weeks, and much earlier and much faster than in summer 2020. However, the number of corona deaths is much lower than in the previous year because most of the vulnerable parts of the population are now vaccinated. This is encouraging, but it is also fueling a debate about the extent to which the incidence is still appropriate as a guide number for the pandemic. The topic was also at the MPK this week. In this article, my colleague Jörg Römer describes how science looks at this discussion.
The return of map acne isn't the only unfortunate development this week, however.
British researchers predict that we will have to say goodbye to herd immunity in view of the Delta variant, vaccination reluctance and vaccination breakthroughs.
The delta variant will partly infect people who have been vaccinated.
"That means that anyone who has not yet been vaccinated will encounter the virus at some point, and we have nothing that can completely prevent this transmission." My colleague has what that means and why it is still important to get vaccinated Julia Merlot described in this article.
In this sense: on a gray in gray that is as long as possible.
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The most important findings of the MPK
Corona policy: Why the incidence is still important
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the country leaders continue to rely on the seven-day incidence as a pandemic indicator.
This strategy was often criticized - wrongly.
New corona rules: "That won't be enough to get us through the autumn"
Compulsory testing and new restrictions for unvaccinated people: The Prime Minister and the Chancellor have decided on the corona strategy for the autumn.
But will more people get vaccinated because of this?
Virologist on free citizen tests: "The renunciation of free rapid tests is bearable"
Rapid tests for unvaccinated people will no longer be free of charge in the future.
A fair decision, says the virologist Marco Binder.
Instead, he advises other measures.
Criticism of the new corona resolutions: "This MPK did not prepare us well for autumn"
Chargeable tests for most of the unvaccinated and an extension of the epidemic situation: The resolutions of the Prime Minister's Conference met with criticism from the opposition.
Corona summit in election campaign times: "We can roll the incidence"
It should soon be uncomfortable for unvaccinated people, according to the federal and state governments.
But the actors do not seem really convinced of their corona resolutions.
That probably also has to do with the election campaign.
The delta drama continues
Fight against corona: British researchers declare herd immunity to Delta impossible
The coronavirus will remain - experts from Great Britain make this clear again.
They rule out herd immunity.
Nevertheless, a high vaccination rate remains the best remedy for the pandemic.
Delta variant: In the USA, more children with Covid-19 are hospitalized.
The delta variant spreads mainly in the unvaccinated population - including children and adolescents.
Now the cases that have to be treated in the clinic are increasing.
Why?
Covid-19 in worldwide numbers
Confirmed Cases: 205,498,261
Deaths: 4,335,943
Germany: 3,810,641 confirmed sick people, 91,853 deaths
Sources: CSSE / Johns Hopkins University, as of August 13, 2021, 11:21 am;
Robert Koch Institute, as of August 13, 2021, 3:14 a.m.
Research news
Coronavirus variants: The virus still has leeway
Experts warn of new coronavirus variants that better bypass immune protection.
How exactly Sars-CoV-2 will develop is difficult to predict.
But one thing is clear: it will change.
End of the pandemic: will Covid-19 become a disease of children?
The coronavirus is likely to become endemic in the long term - similar to many cold or flu viruses.
Experts have modeled who could then be particularly affected and under which conditions.
Patchwork of the corona strategy: researchers warn about low incidences everywhere in Europe
While England is not taking official corona protective measures, they continue to apply elsewhere in Europe.
New analyzes show that only a uniform strategy can bring the virus to its knees.
What else was important
Sport and Corona: The pandemic hit the Bundesliga so hard
The new Bundesliga season starts on Friday.
A data analysis shows the negative impact Corona has on German professional clubs.
Other sports come through the crisis better.
Myopia: Why children see worse since Corona
The pandemic endangers the eyesight of many children.
The eye needs daylight, but lockdown and distance lessons prevented enough time outdoors.
What ophthalmologists recommend now.
Have a nice weekend
Yours Michail Hengstenberg
