pandemic
Lauterbach assumes further corona restrictions
Karl Lauterbach (SPD), health expert, takes part in the session of the Bundestag. (Archive image) Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa
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The infection process is “more aggressive than expected,” says SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach. In view of the new virus variant, he expects further restrictions.
The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach assumes further restrictions in view of the fourth corona wave and the appearance of a possibly particularly dangerous new virus variant.
“In fact, the infection is more aggressive than expected,” he said in the ARD “Tagesthemen” on Friday evening. The measures would have worked, contacts decreased somewhat. “But it is not yet where it should be, and it will definitely be necessary for us to re-sharpen it, I assume that too.”
Problem of 2G control
Lauterbach went on to say: “What causes major problems in particular is that the 2G and 2G-plus controls are not carried out adequately at all.” In addition, there are still too many large events. “And it is precisely these big events and the full bars and shops that cause us problems.”
Lauterbach is very concerned that the potentially dangerous variant B.1.1.529 that has emerged in southern Africa could also reach Germany. If that happened, we’d have a huge problem. “Because there is nothing worse than getting a particularly dangerous variant into a running wave.” The variant seems to be dangerous for vaccinated and unvaccinated people. “That’s why we have to work with travel restrictions here, every day that can be won before this variant comes up really counts here.”
Boosters protect against new variants
Lauterbach emphasized that the booster vaccinations would also protect against this variant, because the booster effect is so enormously strong. But if this variant were to really gain ground, which is currently not known, “then a new vaccine would have to be developed. It would then be on the market in three months ».
The World Health Organization (WHO) classified variant B.1.1.529 as “worrying” on Friday. Experts fear that the many mutations in the variant cause the pathogen to spread faster or that the vaccines lose their protective effect. A first case was reported in Belgium on Friday.