New findings on Germans infected with Omikron – expert appeased: "You shouldn't get it wrong"

The new Corona variant Omikron remains the subject of the investigations. Several Germans were infected in South Africa. The news ticker.

Update from December 10th, 6.22 a.m.: After an investigation in South Africa, seven Germans were infected with the omicron variant of the corona virus despite the booster vaccination. “There are very many breakthrough infections. What we did not know is that even a booster vaccination with Biontech / Pfizer does not prevent this, ”said Wolfgang Preiser, member of the research consortium that discovered the variant, the“ Tagesspiegel ”.

Omicron variant: Several Germans infected despite booster vaccination – “You shouldn’t get it wrong”

At the same time, Preiser warned: “Of course you shouldn’t misunderstand that vaccination doesn’t help. On the contrary: It only shows that even the best possible vaccination is obviously not enough to prevent infection – which we already suspected. ”The study by Preiser and colleagues from Thursday has not yet been published in a specialist journal. None of the seven Germans between the ages of 25 and 39 had to deal with a severe course of the infection. “Of course you can now say: These are young people anyway. But one can assume that at least a severe course will be prevented, ”said Preiser from Stellenbosch University near Cape Town.

Update from December 9th, 9:52 pm: Virologist Christian Drosten finds the spread of the Omikron variant “worrying”. One has the impression that “the happening is doubling every three days,” he said in the ARD “Tagesthemen”. Drosten warned and called for corona vaccinations *.

Update from December 9th, 4:11 pm : A large part of the Europeans infected with the Omikron so far apparently have a “slight” course of the disease. This has now been announced by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). However, more data would have to be collected “in order to find out whether the spectrum of the severity of the course of the disease with Omikron differs from the previously circulating variants,” it said.

No statement can yet be made about the effectiveness of the corona vaccines currently used against the new variant. The authority evaluates all available data in order to be able to make quick statements about it.

Medical professionals: Intensive care units need incidence below 200

Update from December 9th, 2:37 pm : “We have let the number of cases soar too high for far too long. We now urgently have to reduce the incidences a good bit so that we have space for Omikron ”: Divi expert Karagiannidis (see previous update) also spoke to Spiegel.

He estimates that Germany needs a 7-day incidence of less than 200 to keep its intensive care units operational. It is currently more than 420. When asked about the frequently repeated appeals from science to politics, the intensive care doctor told the news magazine: “Sometimes I can no longer hear myself.”

Politicians have totally underestimated the delta wave and got lost in the election campaign at the most critical moment. “I would recommend that the next federal election be postponed should it fall again into a critical phase of a pandemic.”

+

Intensive care physician: Omikron will hurt – free beds at a low

Update from December 9th, 1:35 p.m .: Omikron will prevail at high speed, believes Divi Intensive Register Director Christian Karagiannidis in an interview with dpa. According to him, the number of intensive care beds available nationwide has fallen to the lowest recorded level so far: around 2250, of which 921 specifically for Covid-19 sufferers (as of December 9) .

At such a level, Omikron would “hurt, even if it shouldn’t make you quite as seriously ill,” said the doctor. He spoke of the variant as a threatening “great unknown”, the current situation is very dynamic.

The delta wave seems to be moving sideways, especially due to the falling number of infections in Bavaria. In the intensive care units, it is now “pretty full” with almost 5,000 Covid 19 patients. In addition, in contrast to earlier waves, there are other emergencies that need to be treated, for example accident victims. In phases with far-reaching contact restrictions, this was less common, according to Karagiannidis.

Because of Omikron “not vaccinated” despite double spades? Lauterbach expects “new reality”

First report from December 9th : Berlin – Omikron is still being examined more closely. However, experts are already assuming that we will have to adapt because of the new Corona variant. For example the new Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD). The doctor and epidemiologist now spoke in the ZDF’s “heute-journal” (December 8th issue) of a “new reality”.

It looks like that you need three vaccinations to be “somewhat protected from Omikron” at all. The SPD politician advocated boosting: “The vaccination is only complete if you have been vaccinated three times.”

And it is still a matter of preventing the new mutation from spreading. One wants to break the chains of infection through the “2G” (access only as convalescent or fully vaccinated). That is an optimal preparation for an omicron wave, “if it does come”.

It is very likely that two vaccinations will alleviate the disease, “and three vaccinations will probably protect very well against serious illness,” emphasized Lauterbach.

+

Lauerbach speaks on ZDF about Omikron and vaccination requirements

You have to make sure that Omikron reaches Germany as late as possible. If the variant were to become widespread, this could have an impact on who is considered fully vaccinated. Maybe only people who have already received three spades. “But we will cross this bridge when we have reached it,” said Lauterbach.

What about a general vaccination requirement? Lauterbach answered the question that he is now speaking “not as Federal Minister of Health, but simply as a member of parliament”. “We need a general compulsory vaccination. Because we won’t be able to cope with a variant like Omikron. “

Fauci on the new vaccination status: “A question of when”

The US immunologist Anthony Fauci made a very similar statement. He also expects the definition of who is fully vaccinated against Corona in the USA to be changed soon. “It will be a question of when and not if,” Fauci told CNN on Wednesday. Nobody will deny that a third syringe is needed for optimal protection – regardless of the definition, said Fauci.

According to the vaccine manufacturers Biontech and Pfizer, three doses of their product are necessary for adequate protection against the Omikron variant. According to initial laboratory data, two doses did not provide sufficient protection against infection. However, they assume that protection against serious illness is still in place. (frs with material from dpa and AFP) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA

List of rubric lists: © Michael Buholzer / dpa