STIKO boss Mertens: Is Corona now endemic?

According to STIKO boss Mertens, the corona pandemic has entered a new phase: It is now an “endemic viral infection” – in which a lot of personal responsibility is required.

In a way, it is the crucial question of the corona pandemic: when will the whole thing finally be over, when will corona become more or less normal? From the point of view of STIKO boss Thomas Mertens, the corona pandemic can be declared over. A pandemic is defined when a globally unknown pathogen with which people have no immunological experience breaks into the population. He no longer sees this situation.

Permanent occurrence also in endemic

in the BR-Interview, the virologist said: “Of course you could say that it is now an endemic virus infection and it will stay with us for generations.”

A disease is considered endemic if it occurs in a region with a relatively constant number of cases, such as influenza. So that means something like: We can’t get rid of the virus, it will take root and continue to accompany us. Therefore, one will have to continue to ensure that those who are at particular risk of becoming seriously ill are protected. For example, through regular vaccinations.

Federal government sticks to assessment

However, Mertens is in contrast to the federal government: As a spokeswoman explained, nothing has changed in Berlin’s assessment of the situation. “The Corona outbreak was declared a pandemic by the WHO in 2020 and only the WHO can revise this,” said a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of Health. The World Health Organization recently reaffirmed that the pandemic situation is still in place.

The virologist Bernd Salzberger from the Regensburg University Hospital supports Mertens’ point of view: “For me, these high and short waves in summer and autumn are also an expression of the transition to an endemic phase.”

On the subject of vaccination, Mertens emphasized that he did not think it made sense to call on the entire population to have a booster vaccination every six months just to avoid infections. “Because we now know that the vaccines protect against serious illness very well, but much less well against infection. Everyone knows the neighbor or relative who has been vaccinated three or four times and then got infected anyway. So let’s move back to the actual goal and that must also be in the future, to avoid serious illnesses.”

Masks and vaccinations remain important

It could also make sense to wear masks, for example indoors. According to Mertens, there is no longer any doubt that masks protect against infection. “So that means it certainly makes sense for people at risk of serious illness to wear a mask. And it also makes sense to wear masks in certain rooms and situations. But that’s independent of the obligation. People can do that too make their own responsible decisions.”

In the coming winter it is important that all people over 60 and with special risks and previous illnesses are vaccinated across the board. But this message needs to be better communicated. He still sees some political catching up to do.

Mertens defended himself against the often-repeated accusation that STIKO had made decisions too slowly during the pandemic and had given its vaccination recommendations too late. The decision was no slower than that of many other vaccination commissions, for example in the USA or in Europe. Only Israel was faster, but due to its size and the data collection in a special situation, according to Mertens.

Despite all the criticism, his personal relationship with Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach was “quite relaxed”: “We can talk for a good two hours about a topic. It is probably the case that he has and expresses different personal ideas in some respects. But as I said , that’s not a big problem for me now.”