The corona expert Lars Kaderali sees a possible way out of the pandemic in the increasing number of Omicron cases – but warns against careless decisions.
Greifswald – Since the new omicron variant of the corona virus has also determined the course of the pandemic in Germany, the number of cases has risen again to record values. In countries like Spain, this – coupled with a high number of people immunized by vaccination or illness – is already leading to discussions about reclassifying Corona as an endemic and thus a more relaxed approach to the disease.
Experts in Germany, such as the bioinformatician Lars Kaderali from the University Medical Center Greifswald, are still warning of this, but still think it is possible that the omicron variant could also mean the beginning of the end of the pandemic. “I would actually see it that Omicron could be the door,” said the Greifswald bioinformatician of the German Press Agency.
Corona development: Expert hopes for winter without lockdown or 2G rules
According to Kaderali, there is hope that by the summer everyone in the population “has seen the virus before” – either through infection or vaccination, with the latter being preferable. Then the virus could lose its terror for the coming autumn. He hopes that lockdown measures or 2G rules will no longer have to be an issue next winter.
First of all, however, the omicron wave should be flattened by taking measures to avoid overloading the intensive care units. Because although the omicron variant probably entails less hospitalization than other variants, this effect is compensated for by the high infectivity and many cases. Figures from the USA also suggested this.
Corona in Spain: In southern Europe, Covid-19 is developing into an endemic disease
Meanwhile, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had said in a radio interview that one had to take into account that Covid-19 was developing from a pandemic to an endemic disease. Experts have been working “for weeks” to treat the disease caused by the corona virus like the flu. In Spain, a relaxation of the monitoring of infections to relieve the overwhelmed health care system is planned.
However, Kaderali does not think it is advisable to follow this example: “Even if that goes well in Spain, one cannot conclude that this would be a good strategy for Germany.” Compared to Germany, Spain has a significantly higher vaccination rate as well as one higher number of infections experienced. According to Kaderali, roughly 90 percent of the Spanish population carries corona antibodies. “And here we are in Germany, I would say, considerably far away.” Here the proportion is at least ten percent lower. (ska with dpa)
