Can we celebrate a carefree Christmas and does boosters help against Omikron? Virologist Hendrik Streeck answers these and other questions in an interview.
Munich – The world in the stranglehold of the virus – even almost two years after the first Corona outbreak * in Germany, there is no end to the pandemic in sight. Nevertheless, Professor Hendrik Streeck * (44) sees a good chance of a relatively normal party. In an interview with the Munich Mercury and tz the Bonn virologist explains how we can get over the holidays safely and what people who have been vaccinated should know.
After the messed up Corona Christmas last year, many people were hoping for “normal” holidays again. How carefree can we celebrate this year?
Stretch: We still need to be cautious, but we do not need to be any more cautious than we were last year. Despite the high number of infections, we are now in a different situation: With vaccination, we have a powerful tool in hand to avoid severe Covid courses. If people are vaccinated and test themselves beforehand, then they can celebrate Christmas normally together, although I am assuming that it is a family celebration.
Are rapid tests safe enough? Their error rate is discussed again and again.
Stretch: Compared to PCR tests *, rapid tests are more error-prone and sometimes escape an infection. PCR tests are almost too precise, especially for vaccinated people. You can still detect the virus for a very long time, even though there is no longer any relevant infection. Studies from Harvard show that rapid tests are beneficial if they are used frequently – i.e. two or three times a week. They are quick and then strike when those tested are infectious. This offsets the disadvantage of the somewhat lower reliability.
There are new dates every hour and we would all do well not to speculate and even paint the devil on the wall.
Hendrik Streeck: “Our main problem at the moment is the delta wave”
Do rapid tests also recognize the Omikron variant?
Stretch: So far there has not been a variant that was not recognized by rapid tests.
The vaccines against Omikron work worse than against Delta. How dangerous is this variant really?
Stretch: There are new dates every hour and we would all do well not to speculate and even paint the devil on the wall. We know for sure that Omikron has more mutations, especially in the spike, than Delta – but not yet what exactly this means. There are initial reports from the laboratories showing that the immune responses that are made after the vaccinations work less well. But there are also reports that Omikron infections are milder.
Nevertheless, many politicians are extremely nervous. Is that justified or alarmism?
Stretch: Our main problem at the moment is the delta wave. Of course, it is right to observe Omikron closely and contain it as far as possible. In the end, it is important at the moment to reduce the number of infections, vaccinate and boost them. Everything we’re doing against Delta at the moment also helps against Omikron.
Hendrik Streeck: When vaccinating children, I follow the Stiko recommendation
Do you actually ski?
Stretch: (smiles) Yes, but for the last time I stood on boards before the pandemic *.
Many vaccinated parents will skip their skiing holidays during the Christmas holidays because their unvaccinated children would otherwise have to be quarantined after their return trip and miss school. What do you think of this regulation?
Stretch: I cannot understand it. Compared to adults, children are less infectious and less likely to pass the virus on. Even if they do become infected, they almost never have severe courses. They are also often tested in school. Why then do you have to expect a general quarantine – especially since the infection rate in countries like Austria * is similar to ours? It would be different, of course, if a single child had symptoms.
Would you vaccinate your children if you had any?
Stretch: Difficult question. I have not yet formed a final opinion on this, but I follow the Stiko recommendation.
The schools should remain open in the fourth wave, emphasize the politicians. Is a lockdown really off the table?
Stretch: You’d better ask the new Minister of Health that. A lockdown is not expedient at the moment, but I would not want to rule it out in the future either. This step should be kept in hand as a kind of emergency ripcord in the event that the health system actually threatens to collapse during the winter.
Hendrik Streeck: “All the necessary measures can also be taken without an epidemic emergency”
Scientists already warned in summer that the corona situation would worsen in autumn and winter. Has politics ignored these appeals and failed?
Stretch: In any case, we saw more election ads than vaccination ads in the summer. But it is even more important: We did not receive any lasting, professional information as part of the advertising campaign for vaccinations. Many people do not understand how the vaccines work in the body. They fear the vaccines. In order to dispel unfounded fears, one finally has to start educating better. Too many skeptics have not yet been picked up by politics, although that is not an impossibility.
Will the new traffic light government do better?
Stretch: I look forward to your decisions. However, you should give her some time before you judge her work.
The traffic light has resisted reintroducing the “epidemic situation of national scope”. A mistake?
Stretch: No, it’s just a legal construct. Ultimately, all necessary measures can be taken without the epidemic emergency. This debate is just a sideline.
What would be more important?
Stretch: A systematic analysis of the question of why our health system is not as crisis-proof as it could and should be is far too short for me. We finally have to retrofit it in the long term so that we don’t end up with even fewer intensive care beds next winter.
The problems in the clinics are not new. Why doesn’t politics change anything?
Stretch: Because it doesn’t have a long-term strategy to deal with this crisis. Let’s take the issue of nursing care. In 2020 we all noticed how bad the working conditions and the pay of the nursing staff were. But politicians did not manage to use the year to improve the situation. On the contrary, there are even fewer nurses than a year ago.
The bottom line is that it doesn’t make much difference in healthy people whether they can be boosted with Moderna or Biontech.
Hendrik Streeck: “I wish Karl Lauterbach all the best, he has taken on an exhausting job”
Many hope that the new Minister of Health Lauterbach will change something. How do you rate his calling?
Stretch: I wish him all the best, he has taken on an exhausting job.
Can he do that?
Stretch: Definitely.
Lauterbach also emphasizes like a prayer wheel that boosters protect particularly well against corona after new data. When should you get the third trick?
Stretch: At the moment, the rule is that at least six months should have passed after the second vaccination. But you don’t have to be more papal than the Pope, a few days or weeks don’t matter. However, there should not be less than three months between vaccinations, otherwise the maximum effect of the booster would be lost. In general, boosting * is particularly useful in the winter months because we now have high numbers of infections. There is less need to be boosted in summer than in winter.
Which vaccine is more effective for boosting: Biontech or Moderna?
Stretch: Studies have shown that Moderna * induces stronger immune responses – especially if you have previously received a vector vaccine. On the other hand, Moderna has slightly more side effects, so this vaccine is not recommended for people under 30 years of age. The bottom line is that it doesn’t make a big difference in healthy people whether they can be boosted with Moderna or Biontech *. If you have not tolerated the first two vaccinations so well, you can take the other for the third.
There is currently no reliable data that would justify the closure of restaurants.
Hendrik Streeck: “The alternative to 2G plus are far-reaching contact restrictions”
The rapid development of vaccines is considered a success story. There is still no major breakthrough in sight for drugs. Why?
Stretch: Antiviral drugs are harder to develop. Nevertheless, two drugs that could become game changers will soon come onto the market: firstly, molnupiravir *. It should come this year. If taken early, it reduces the risk of hospitalization by 50 percent. On the other hand, we expect paxlovid. It provided even better data, including an almost 90 percent reduction in severe gradients. Paxlovid is expected to be approved over the next year. These two drugs give hope, but they also have a catch. They only work if taken within five days of diagnosis.
Strict security standards apply in Bavaria. If you want to go to the gym or the theater, you have to be vaccinated, recovered and tested. Does 2G plus make sense?
Stretch: If the number of infections is very high, 2G plus has the advantage that it is easier to avoid outbreaks in events with many people. If the alternative is far-reaching contact restrictions, then we should rather rely on 2G plus.
A partial lockdown for gastronomy is also being discussed. Do we have to swallow this toad despite 2G?
Stretch: There is currently no reliable data that would justify the closure of restaurants. You could also work with an air hygiene check. Then a gastro lockdown would not be necessary.
Would you go to the disco at the moment if it was open?
Stretch: I’m too old for the disco. But if a bar has a good security concept, I would go there.
The interview was conducted by Andreas Beez. * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
#Streeck #compares #booster #vaccines #talks #Christmas #lockdown #Lauterbach