The Omikron wave has Germany firmly in its grip. More and more people are becoming infected with the corona virus. Virologist Streeck warns those who have been boosted and vaccinated.
Frankfurt – Is it still possible to avoid a corona infection? In view of the increasing number of infections caused by the omicron variant and vaccination breakthroughs, more and more people assume that they will become infected sooner or later. But does this fear mean that precautionary measures are becoming redundant?
“No,” says virologist Hendrik Streeck, who is a member of the federal government’s Corona Expert Council. “Especially now, with such a high number of infections, each of us – even boosted, vaccinated – should of course be careful again,” warned Streeck on Friday (February 4th, 2022) in the ZDF morning magazine. Because vaccinated people could also transmit the virus and boosted people could also become infected and transmit the virus, but be asymptomatic.
Virologist Hendrik Streeck: “Will everyone come into contact with this virus at some point”
It is now a matter of bridging the time, according to the virologist. According to his assessment, the number of cases will fall again in spring and it will be “a good summer” again. But even the virologist does not assume in the long term that those who have been boosted and vaccinated can avoid infection. “We will all come into contact with this virus at some point,” said Streeck. In view of this, he appeals to the unvaccinated to get vaccinated.
| Fully vaccinated in Germany | 74.5% |
| Percentage of population with booster vaccination | 54.5% |
| Source: impfdashboard.de (status: 08.02.2022) |
With a view to the summer, Streeck appealed that Germany had to “do a lot of things, rework a lot of things so that we don’t steer into something like that again next autumn and winter”. According to the virologist, the decisive factor for corona measures should be the incidence of hospitalization. But: “We have a very bad data situation there,” says Streeck in the ZDF interview and refers to a statement by the Corona Expert Council on this. This calls for digitization and an electronic patient file so that you have real-time data and can immediately identify an overload.
According to Streeck, the omicron subtype BA.2 of the omicron variant is currently not a cause for concern. But there is still not enough data, the virologist continues. (Sarah Neumeyer)
