Virologist Streeck criticizes Corona plans: "We have no goals"

The virologist Hendrik Streeck predicts a “gradual transition” from pandemic to endemic.

Hamburg – when is the corona pandemic over? And what will the end of the crisis in Germany look like? With the spread of the more contagious Omikron variant, Germany faces another winter full of restrictions. At a corona summit on Friday (January 7th, 2022), the federal and state governments want to adopt new measures. In addition to new contact restrictions and quarantine rules, an expansion of the 2G and 2G Plus rules are also being considered. This emerges from the resolution proposal of the summit, which our editorial team has received.

In Markus Lanz’s TV talk on ZDF on Thursday evening, almost everything revolved around the corona pandemic. One of the guests was Hendrik Streeck. And the virologist from Bonn, who is also a member of the Corona Expert Council of the new federal government, made people sit up and take notice.

Corona: Virologist Streeck criticizes a lack of plans in Germany

“We have no goals for how we can get into the endemic,” said Hendrik Streeck critically about the current corona situation in Germany. There are pandemic plans that are precisely defined at the beginning, especially in the first phases, but become more and more blurred the longer the pandemic lasts.

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There will be no day of liberation from the coronavirus, but a “creeping transition”. Streeck predicted a drop in the number of infections in spring. Then “the hard work” begins, emphasized the virologist.

Politicians must set short and long-term goals, ensure a more crisis-proof health system and continue the corona vaccination campaign. With regard to the omicron variant, which can partially bypass the protection of the corona vaccines, one has to see whether there are adapted vaccines.

Corona: Virologist Streeck against mandatory vaccination

Hendrik Streeck rejects a general compulsory corona vaccination, as demanded by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. “We see that people who have been boosted can also become infected and that the vaccination protection wears off after three months,” he said, explaining his attitude to Markus Lanz. He generally considers the vaccination debate to be “a bit out of place”. There is no vaccine that completely protects against infection and can ensure that the virus is eradicated.

In Markus Lanz’s broadcast, Gregor Gysi also commented on the subject of compulsory corona vaccination. The left-wing politician argued against it and said: “What you can’t do, you shouldn’t do.” There is no capacity to enforce and control such a vaccination requirement. Journalist Eva Quadbeck from the editorial network Germany spoke of the “most mendacious debate that I have experienced in the 20 years in which I have been doing political reporting”. It only contributes to distrust in politics.

Virologist Streeck: Omikron will cause an “enormous wave”

According to studies, the omicron variant of the coronavirus is more contagious, but there are no longer as many serious disease courses from Covid-19 as a result of an infection, according to Streeck. The variant also no longer penetrates the lungs as well, but primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. Nevertheless, one reckons with an “enormous wave” of infections – even among people who have been vaccinated twice. The virologist therefore promotes booster vaccinations that increase protection against Omikron. Streeck thinks the proposal to shorten quarantine times is “very good”.

With a view to the Corona summit on Friday, Streeck called for good preparation for the consequences that can be expected from the Omikron wave. One must pay attention to an increasing occupancy in the normal wards of the hospitals. (lrg / dpa)

Headline list image: © Christoph Hardt / Imago Images