The corona numbers and the incidence are falling, but the delta variant could put Germany to a tough test again. An expert warns. The news ticker.
- In Germany, the 7-day incidence of new corona infections is only 8.0 (see original report).
- But the delta variant worries an expert (see original message) .
- This news ticker is continuously updated.
Berlin – The Corona * numbers have been at a comparatively low level for weeks. And on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, the Robert Koch Institute reports only 455 new infections. After the long, hard Corona winter with many restrictions and measures, the country is currently flourishing again. And the incidence also shows: the corona pandemic is continuing to ease.
Corona in Germany: RKI reports current figures – incidence is falling again
The health authorities in Germany reported a total of 455 new infections to the RKI within the past 24 hours. For comparison: a week ago today, this value was 652 infections. The seven-day incidence, which is important for many experts and for determining the measures, is estimated by the RKI on early Tuesday morning to be 8.0 nationwide. The previous day this value was 8.6, the previous week it was 15.5. According to the information, 77 new deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours. A week ago there were 93 dead.
Corona in Germany: How dangerous can the delta variant be for us in autumn?
Experts have feared for weeks that the Corona * pandemic is far from over, despite significant relaxation. At the latest, the discovery of the highly contagious Delta variant is fueling this fear. According to one expert, it is precisely this mutation that could make it difficult to achieve herd immunity. “Delta is a bit more contagious than the currently prevailing virus variant Alpha. On the basis of the previous, still uncertain data, around 85 percent of immune people in the population would be needed to indirectly protect the unvaccinated, ”said Carsten Watzl, Secretary General of the German Society for Immunology, the German Press Agency.
“So we get into areas that are difficult to reach as long as there is no approved vaccine for children under 12 and no general vaccination recommendation for anyone under 18. It may be that herd immunity can only be achieved for individual facilities such as nursing homes, but not for the majority of the population, ”said Watzl. In the absence of vaccination options, it also applies to younger students that they initially have no community protection.
Corona in Germany: RKI names target for herd immunity
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has long been speaking of a goal of more than 80 percent immune people – after complete vaccination or infection plus vaccination – in order to be able to largely dispense with measures and rules. At the beginning of the pandemic, experts still assumed a share of around two thirds, because the pathogen was even less infectious at the time.
According to the immunologist Watzl, reaching a vaccination quota of 60 to 70 percent in the population would be of great help in fighting pandemics. “The hope is that there will only be minor outbreaks that no longer require lockdown measures.” People who cannot be vaccinated, who do not want to be immunized or who are vaccinated for reasons such as age or illness does not respond so well, would then be most likely to become infected. “The good news is: anyone who is fully vaccinated is also protected from Delta,” said Watzl.
Vigilance is now important so that no new wave can arise with the variant, appealed Watzl. Contacts after outbreaks would need to be closely followed up. The Robert Koch Institute describes a growing proportion of Delta in the examined positive corona samples in Germany for the beginning of June, from 3.7 to 6.2 percent. In absolute numbers, however, the delta cases declined, as did the corona cases overall, according to Watzl. “This is a difference compared to the spread of the Alpha variant discovered in Great Britain at the beginning of the year. This variant had grown more and more, which was initially hidden by the overall falling trend in the number of cases. “* Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
