Timo Lenzen / DER SPIEGEL
Dear readers,
Do you remember the discussions about the incidence figures from spring 2021?
Nationwide people stared at the drawn borders, breaking through the values of 35, then 50 and at some point 100 triggered controversial discussions across the country.
Are the resulting measures excessive?
Or, on the contrary, much too lax?
Germany is currently rushing through the imaginary barriers again - but it remains eerily quiet.
Although the numbers have been rising continuously for days, the RKI only found today that Germany is in the middle of the fourth wave.
German vacationers from neighboring European countries are familiar with this apparent indifference to the incidence number.
There they find to their astonishment that, despite incidences in some cases well beyond 100, most people shop in supermarkets without masks, for example.
Corona?
Seems forgotten.
In fact, where large parts of the vulnerable population have been vaccinated, Corona has lost its deadly terror. The situation in the hospitals is (still) relaxed, the number of corona deaths at a very low level. But the quiet is treacherous: The effectiveness of the vaccination protection decreases after six months, the first vaccinated people are no longer optimally protected. Health expert Karl Lauterbach therefore warns of an increase in vaccination breakthroughs - i.e. infections even in people who have been double vaccinated.
The debate over the booster shots, so-called booster shots, has kept the world busy this week.
Because even if the protection against infection decreases over time after a double vaccination - it remains in place against severe courses.
Many experts therefore consider the booster vaccinations to be dishonest in view of the fact that large parts of the world have not yet received a vaccine, as my colleague Julia Merlot writes.
The new SPIEGEL, now digital and tomorrow at the kiosk
"The return of fear: the uncanny lightning victory of the Taliban / escape and panic - the drama of Kabul / burqa, beatings, death lists - of the fate of women / how secret services fail" is the title of the new SPIEGEL. You will receive the digital copy from now on and from Saturday at the kiosk.
All good things come in threes?
The debate about the booster shots
Fourth wave: Anyone who needs a booster vaccination in autumn
The WHO recommends waiting until the end of September with third
vaccinations
.
Science, on the other hand, says: better sooner than later.
What speaks for the booster vaccination - and what against it.
Rising corona numbers: Spahn is considering offering a booster vaccination to everyone
According to the RKI, Germany is facing a fourth
wave of
infections.
This is another reason why Health Minister Jens Spahn has now brought so-called booster vaccinations for all citizens into play.
He relies on doctors' offices.
"First close vaccination gaps": Virologist Drosten considers booster vaccinations only useful for a few
The majority of citizens do not need a booster vaccination against Covid-19 in autumn, says virologist Christian Drosten.
The WHO describes the unjust distribution of vaccines worldwide as a disgrace.
Booster shots in the USA: The crux of the
third vaccination The USA wants to offer the population a third vaccination - even though billions of people around the world have not yet received a dose.
The unequal distribution could have serious consequences.
From Julia Merlot
The breakthrough drama
Despite vaccination protection: Lauterbach expects an increase in vaccination breakthroughs
More than 58 percent of people in Germany are fully protected against Corona - but according to SPD politician Lauterbach, not for long.
The health expert warns of a specific period after which vaccinations will decrease.
Corona pandemic in the USA: breakthroughs in vaccinations probably more frequent than expected
The delta variant could also favor infections and diseases with the coronavirus in vaccinated people.
This is shown by an evaluation of new figures from the USA.
Clarity at last
Advantages outweigh: Stiko recommends corona vaccination for 12- to 17-year-olds
The Standing Vaccination Commission hesitated for a long time, the pressure from politics was great.
Now the committee has made a decision: Children and adolescents from the age of 12 are also advised to have a corona vaccination.
Covid-19 in worldwide numbers
Confirmed Cases: 210,057,252
Deaths: 4,404,511
Germany: 3,853,055 confirmed patients, 91,956 deaths
Sources: CSSE / Johns Hopkins University, as of August 20, 2021, 11:21 am;
Robert Koch Institute, as of August 20, 2021, 3:14 a.m.
Research news
Stress factor loneliness: What you can learn from fruit flies about the effects of the corona pandemic Sleeping
badly and
getting
fat - that's what happened to many people in the pandemic.
Loneliness could explain both.
This is suggested by experiments with fruit flies.
British study on Delta: Vaccinated people have a viral load similar to that of the unvaccinated.
The available corona vaccines also protect very effectively against serious illnesses caused by Delta.
But they are arguably a little less suited to preventing transmission, suggests a study.
Charité study: This is why children are less
likely to
have severe Covid-19 courses It has
long been known that children do not get seriously ill with Covid-19 as often as older people.
Researchers have now found an important cause.
The findings could also help adults.
Coronavirus: How likely is it that resistant variants will emerge?
British scientists have warned of the emergence of resistant coronaviruses.
How likely is it that vaccines will no longer work?
And what is the way out?
Spread of the delta variant: when vaccinated people should test themselves
Rapid tests are obviously much more unreliable in reality than the manufacturers promise: the hit rate for infected people can be below 50 percent.
Why their use still makes sense - even with vaccinated people.
What else was important
Corona measures: will schools be the new vaccination centers?
According to the recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission, individual federal states are preparing to vaccinate children and adolescents in schools.
Opponents fear new conflicts in the classrooms.
Project in France: Corona dog sniffs out infected people in old people's homes
Pokaa can sniff out whether someone is infected with the corona virus.
This ability of the sniffer dog is now to be used in old people's homes.
Corona vaccines in medical practices: Millions of vaccine doses threaten to expire
According to SPIEGEL
,
every tenth vaccine dose against the
corona virus
remains in German medical practices.
These vaccines must not be passed on to countries in need - doctors are outraged.
Coronavirus: Why those who have recovered should get vaccinated now,
Covid-19 survived and immune?
Not per se. Vaccination is advisable.
But recently it was said that you would not be vaccinated until six months later, this is now possible after four weeks.
What you need to know now.
Have a nice weekend
Yours Michail Hengstenberg
