Lauterbach on Corona-Herbst: Difficult times are ahead

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Updated on 08/27/2022 at 8:29 am

  • Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach fears that the number of corona cases could increase significantly in autumn.
  • According to the minister, you also have to “be prepared for anything” with regard to new virus variants.

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Standing in the fall due to rising corona numbers Germany from the point of view of the Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach difficult times ahead. With the omicron subvariant BA.5, at least at the beginning of autumn, there will be an increase in the number of cases, the SPD politician told the “Welt am Sonntag”.

“There will then be failures in the companies and the critical infrastructure, for example in hospitals. So we are facing difficult times.” This is particularly the case when staying indoors becomes the norm because of the cold temperatures.

There are already between 100 and 150 corona deaths per day. “My concern is that that number could go up.” That is not justifiable. So you have to be well prepared. “And it will be us if the Bundestag decides on the proposed amendments to the Infection Protection Act,” said the minister.

Lauterbach: “Corona autumn will not be a bed of roses”

Lauterbach hopes for a Corona autumn without a serious virus variant change. If there is no variant change, then Germany will not get into an epidemic situation. “Nevertheless, we need tools for emergencies,” said Lauterbach. “The Corona autumn will not be a bed of roses.”

Many people wrongly believed that during a pandemic only the lighter variants prevailed. “That is a mistake.” There is no selective advantage for lighter variants. “We have to be prepared for anything.” That virus changed too much through mutations and still do. That is why the endemic stage has not yet been reached.

In addition, the health minister is demanding more research funding for the development of nasal vaccines that can be sprayed to provide immunity to the mucous membranes. “In an international comparison, Germany is not doing well when it comes to working on these vaccines,” he said. There is a lack of research funds. The vaccines for the nose could potentially significantly reduce infection. (dpa/thp)
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