Spring is just around the corner, the number of infections is falling – do we now have a carefree summer ahead of us? The virologist Drosten warns, looks at the new omicron subtype BA.2 and says: mask up!
In Germany, the infection process is easing – but the virologist Christian Drosten does not assume that the summer will be completely free of corona worries.
On the one hand, the current vaccination progress is not sufficient, on the other hand, the infection activity through the omicron variant is still high, said the scientist from the Berlin Charité in the podcast “Coronavirus Update” on NDR-Info. “That’s why I assume that there will be no infection-free summer.”
Omicron wave and seasons
Drosten pointed out that in South Africa, for example, the omicron wave had risen steeply in midsummer. In summer in Germany he does not assume that an “untamed” wave will be seen, but “one will also be able to get infected with this omicron virus in summer”. Accordingly, he also thinks it is advisable to continue wearing masks indoors in summer. In particular, wearing FFP2 masks indoors is “the most efficient measure of all” in the long run.
With a view to temperatures falling again over the course of the year, Drosten expressed the assessment that there would be another winter wave. He hopes that this will not be accompanied by a serious burden of illness in the population, but the risk of large-scale work absences will continue to exist. “The pandemic is not only over when the vaccination has reduced the severity of the disease, but also when this high level of transmissibility has ended as a result of certain modifications in the population,” he warned.
Omicron subtype BA.2
Drosten explained that the omicron subtype BA.2, which is probably even easier to transmit and is spreading more and more, remains an uncertainty factor for the development. In its latest weekly report, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) shows the proportion of positive findings in a sample to be around 24 percent.
Drosten said that previous study data from several countries cannot be used to determine whether BA.2 leads to more severe disease progressions. The data are still very preliminary. However, he hopes for insights from Hong Kong, where many older people have been very hesitant about the vaccination and where Omicron is now showing a heavy burden of disease in this group.
Despite the fact that the vaccines have already been adapted to Omikron, Drosten reiterated his appeal to first be vaccinated and boosted with the vaccines that are already available. A US study with macaques has shown, for example, that the booster effect of a third vaccination with the Moderna vaccine against Omikron is just as good as that with a vaccine adapted for Omikron. It is true that no concrete conclusions can be drawn from this for humans. But Drosten advised clearly: “You shouldn’t wait, you should take the third dose with the old vaccine. You can always refresh yourself.”
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
