Virologist Christian Drosten expects a strong “incidence wave” of Corona infections “before December.” Meanwhile, Germany’s Health Minister Lauterbach believes there will only be a “moderately severe wave.”
New Corona variants would still cause many new cases of the disease, warned Christian Drosten, director of virology at Berlin’s Charité hospital, in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. He said this would likely lead to significant work stoppages even in the case of mild courses of the disease.
Virologist Drosten calls for preparation for politics and business
“Infected people may not come to the hospital, but many are sick for a week. If there are too many at once, it becomes a problem,” Drosten said. That’s why politicians need to make better preparations, he said.
“Before so many get sick that you can no longer buy anything, that the hospitals no longer function or that there is no police officer on guard, you have to take measures,” Drosten told the “SZ.” He called on politicians to already work toward a consensus “on which signals one wants to act and how.” Because “in an emergency, immediate and quite drastic decisions are needed.” Drosten expects, among other things, that wearing masks indoors will become necessary again.
He also advised the business community to prepare for a wave of illness with proxy arrangements and team-building. “I also assume that companies will sometimes have to close for two weeks.”
German health minister believes in moderately severe corona wave.
Meanwhile, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach expects only a “moderately severe wave” in the fall. In an interview with the Rheinische Post newspaper (Saturday), the SPD politician expressed confidence that the government is “very well prepared for all scenarios.” “We will keep the Corona wave under control this year,” Lauterbach said, referring to Germany’s new Infection Protection Act, which requires, among other things, the wearing of FFP2 masks “on buses and trains, in long-distance transport, in clinics and care facilities, as well as doctors’ offices.”
“We no longer need closures of schools or the hospitality industry,” the minister continued. He also said lockdowns are “no longer justifiable” unless there is another pandemic. “But I don’t see that danger,” Lauterbach said.
- source. APA/picture: pixabay.com
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