Klaus Stöhr expects the population to be immunized soon. Although caution is still required, “in spring and summer it will be very relaxed”.
Berlin – The Omicron variant* shakes up the corona infection process*. But with what result? The virologist Klaus Stöhr first expects an infection in the coming weeks, then a natural immunization of the population – and finally the end of the pandemic. The Corona variant, which is now becoming dominant worldwide, is highly contagious – but should be a little milder. According to RKI information from Monday morning (January 17, 2022), the incidence in Germany is 528.2 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week.
“There will be uncertainty over the next two to three weeks as to how high the incidence will rise. After that, a lot of people will get natural immunity due to the very strong epidemic that will unfortunately set in then, which cannot be averted,” said Stöhr on Sunday evening on the television channel Bild.
Lauterbach: Unvaccinated people after infection with omicron probably not immune to other variants
Meanwhile, Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach* (SPD) is worrying about other, previously unknown corona variants with a view to autumn. “The unvaccinated person who is now infected with omicron will have little protection against other corona variants in the fall,” he tweeted on Sunday. “Omicron does not replace vaccination,” affirmed Lauterbach.
The Minister of Health agreed on Twitter with a post according to which the immune response of unvaccinated people to the omicron variant is only specifically directed against omicron. Research by virologist Alex Sigal suggested this conclusion. According to Lauterbach, there is no basic immunity against possible other corona variants.
Virologist Klaus Stöhr had previously shared a Lauterbach interview on the same day and tweeted: “Karl Lauterbach’s will-o’-the-wisp is now even noticeable to non-specialists”. In the interview, Lauterbach explained that even unvaccinated people who fell ill with omicron probably only had an infection protection of well under 50 percent against a mutated delta variant in autumn.
Virologist Stöhr on the omicron variant: immunity is “planted on top of” vaccination
At the TV station Bild, virologist Stöhr meanwhile restricted that immunity would be “planted on top” of immunization through vaccinations. Both together will lead to lasting immune protection, so that you don’t have to boost for the fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh time. In the fall you have to see if you can offer vaccinations to those over 60, says Stöhr.
In view of the millions of unvaccinated or at least not fully vaccinated people, caution is still very important, according to Stöhr. Nevertheless, he is convinced: “In spring and summer it will be very relaxed.”
Christian Drosten: “Sooner or later everyone should be infected with Sars-Cov-2”
The virologist Christian Drosten also sees the often milder course after infection with the omicron variant as a “chance” to get into the endemic state – “assuming broad immunity”. He told the Tagesspiegel on Sunday. Sooner or later, everyone will have to be infected with Sars-Cov-2, he says.
“Yes, we have to get into this fairway, there is no alternative,” said Drosten. “In the long run, we cannot get the immune protection of the entire population every few months with a booster vaccination.” The virus has to do that.
There is still an acute risk of ending up in the intensive care unit as an unvaccinated person and, in the worst case, dying from infection with the corona virus. A nurse from the Schwalm-Eder district in northern Hesse reports on working with corona patients in the intensive care unit.* (Paul Bröker with material from dpa) *hna.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
Rubriclistenbild: © teutopress / imago
