There are still many people in Austria who do not want to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The virologist Dorothee von Laer, who works in Innsbruck, now explained that there is probably only one alternative to a general vaccination requirement in the country. And that would be to “let the virus pass through” – meaning that almost everyone who has not yet been vaccinated or recovered would then be infected with it.
The still-rising incidences are a concern for the virologist at the Medical University of Innsbruck. In the last two weeks alone, the number of corona patients in intensive care units has doubled, von Laer told ORF’s “ZiB 2” on Friday.
The course of the pandemic had shown that any tightening of the Corona measures would take at least two weeks to take effect. So if you wait too long to do that, the country “gets into areas that are threatening,” she said. At the moment, at least, she doesn’t see the rise in new infections leveling off. The virus is now so contagious, she said, that “90 percent immunity” is needed to overcome the pandemic.
“Only alternative to mandatory vaccination”
“If you don’t vaccinate, you’ll get sick at some point,” the virologist said, addressing the fact that vaccination rates in Austria remain too low. This is a longer-term problem, she said, which is why we will eventually come to a point where we have to “let the virus pass.” This is the only alternative to the currently hotly debated mandatory vaccination, she said.
Especially with a view to the upcoming start of school, she sees the politicians challenged to prevent a dramatic situation and an associated new lockdown: “Either we scrape past it or slide right into it.”
Virologist: “We will not be able to avoid a lockdown”.
The concept for schools is “excellent,” but the pandemic should no longer be carried out on the backs of schoolchildren – it is now the turn of adults to “do something”: they should get vaccinated.
- source: krone.at/orf ZIB/picture: pixabay.com
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