Virologist Drosten considers the end of the pandemic to be possible in 2022
Omicron as an opportunity? “The population builds up immunity and keeps it,” says Christian Drosten
Source: Getty Images/Sean Gallup
Christian Drosten considers a return to normal after the corona pandemic to be certain. The immunity of the population is currently developing in a “clear direction”. The virologist criticizes the lack of quality controls in science communication.
Dhe head of virology at the Berlin University Medical Center Charité Christian Drosten sees the chance “that we will enter the endemic phase in the course of 2022 and can declare the pandemic condition over”. That’s what Drosten said to the “Daily mirror on Sunday“. It is already “a whole piece of this way done through vaccinations.” Now the country has to go the way to the end.
The population immunity against the corona virus in adults is developing in a “clear direction”: “The population builds up immunity and keeps it.”
The Omikron variant with its milder courses is “something like a moving train that you jump on”. There is “no alternative” to the fact that sooner or later everyone would become infected with the corona virus. However, it is important that as many people as possible are vaccinated. “Because of the high proportion of older people in the population, we have to do this in Germany through vaccinations. Far too many people would die from natural infections.”
Drosten also has hopes for a possible “live vaccination”. This could be a spray with which “weakened viruses or a modern variant thereof” would be sprayed into the nose and trigger mucosal immunity there. “That would be much better transmission protection, the next milestone.”
Living like before the pandemic? “Yes absolutely”
Next winter, however, he expects another sharp increase in the incidence. “And we will probably have to wear masks indoors again because the protection against transmission will drop a little again and the vulnerable in the population will have to be protected.”
When asked if life like before the pandemic was conceivable, Drosten replied: “Yes, absolutely. I am completely sure of that.”
Masks would have to be worn in certain situations for a few more years, which would be annoying. But there will also be “a few benefits”: The virus has advanced medicine. “MRNA technology is a huge breakthrough, also for cancer and for other infectious diseases, just think of influenza.”
Drosten criticizes “unverified opinions”
The virologist meanwhile criticized the public communication of some colleagues. Better quality control is needed in science communication: “I would like to see a discussion being initiated within science about how such standards for science communication can be defined and made binding for scientists.”
He is expressly not concerned with censorship. However, researchers would have to differentiate between “unverified opinions and statements that claim to be based on valid scientific facts”.