Corona News – RKI: Voters’ War of Christmas Meetings – Politics

Robert Koch Institute (RKI) President Lothar Willer has warned of an extension of the Corona situation through meetings with family and friends over Christmas. He said that as a result of these meetings, the rate of infection will continue to increase, Willer said at a press conference on Tuesday. “I urge you to spend today in peace and really only with your closest family for years in between.” “We still had barely a few weeks in Germany. We shouldn’t make it any more difficult,” said Wieler.

Shortly before Christmas the corona numbers remain high. According to RKI on Tuesday morning, health officials reported 19,528 additional people who tested positive for coronovirus within 24 hours. This has increased the total number of detected infections to 1,530,180. 731 people died of or with the virus. A total of 27,006 deaths have been recorded.

The so-called seven-day event increases to 197.6, the highest value ever calculated. It shows how many people tested positive within seven days per 100,000 population. The federal and state governments aim for a price of 50 to control the virus. “We continue to record highs,” RKI President Willer said. “It will probably be several weeks before the number of cases drops.”

At the same time, there is concern in Germany about the mutation of the virus appearing in Britain. As of Tuesday morning, he had no knowledge that a new virus version had been detected in this country. However, he considers the possibility that the country already has a mutation. But: “We cannot yet assess the importance of the version for what is happening.” In this regard, Willer warned the population to follow the rules of distance and sanitation to prevent possible spread.

With the introduction of the vaccination campaign in the days following Christmas, Willer was relieved. At the onset of the epidemic, hardly anyone expected that vaccination could actually begin this year. But it would be months before vaccination could carefully limit the spread of the virus.

Biontech boss “confident” that vaccine against virus variant will work

Biontech’s boss Uğur inahin is confident that his company’s corona vaccine will also work against new mutations of viruses that have emerged in the UK. From a scientific point of view, the probability is high, he told the German press agency. “We have already tested the vaccine against about 20 other virus variants with other mutations. The immune response produced by our vaccines has always inactivated all forms of the virus.”

The virus has now mutated a little more, said atedahin. “We will now have to test it experimentally. It will take about two weeks. But we are confident that the mechanism of action will not be affected.”

Antigens that the mange-based company and its US partner Pfizer use for the vaccine have more than 1270 amino acids. Nine of them are now mutated, so not even one percent. “Our vaccine looks at the whole protein and causes many immune responses. It gives us a lot of docking sites from which the virus is difficult to avoid. But that doesn’t mean the new version is harmless.” The biotech vaccine based on the messenger molecule mRNA can in principle be quickly adapted to new variants.

Droston on the new Corona version: “It doesn’t look good”

The new version in Great Britain, according to new studies, makes coronavirus likely to be transmitted more easily. This is the conclusion of experts from the British Public Health Authority Public Health England (PHS). They refer to genetic studies of new versions and model calculations for propagation. One of the approximately 20 mutations in the new version B.1.1.7 should make a special contribution to the fact that the virus can be transmitted more easily.

German virologist Christian Drosten wrote of the PHS data: “Unfortunately, it does not look good.” However, it is positive that B.1.1.7 cases have so far only increased in areas where the overall incidence was high or increasing. “Contact reduction also works against the spread of mutants,” Drosten writes.

Researchers at PHS are particularly concerned about a mutation called N501Y. According to the data, this may ensure that the virus can dock better with target cells. Furthermore, the mutation occurs at a point where some antibodies in humans attack to shut down the virus. “Therefore, it is possible that such variants may affect its effectiveness in neutralizing the virus.”

Illegal sold Corona rapid test warning

The district government of Cologne has warned against illegally marketed corona rapid trials across the country. These will be sold at gas stations, supermarkets, veterinary practices, breweries and many other places. The affected manufacturers are “Naal von Minden GmbH” and “Blanc Novel Coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) antigen rapid test cassette (swab)” products from manufacturer Hangzhou Really Tech Company “Kovid-19 AG Test”.

Both are on trial Official list Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BFAM) – They are therefore approved for use in Germany. However, until now, rapid antigen tests can only be ordered by doctors. The sample must be done by a medical professional. There are good reasons for this: in theory, these rapid tests are not as safe as tested in the laboratory, they often detect fewer corona infections. If the swab is not taken properly – a stick has to be pushed uncomfortably deep into the nose – the chances of having a false negative condition increase.

According to the Cologne district government, the tests were put into operation by a company in Freichen and were freely available to private customers even without expert knowledge. Although the two manufacturers’ tests have been recalled “as an immediate safety measure”, they are “currently still partially open – and taken out of the original large packaging – at the sales counter.”

The company manager’s apartment and apartments from Freichen were searched with the help of the Hearth Criminal Police and the Public Order Office and a client list was secured. “The government’s list includes about 5700 customers of Corona rapid trials across Germany, of which 4000 to 4500 customers should not receive the test,” the district government reported.

Looterback: British Corona mutations will be “devastation” for Germany at present

SPD health expert Karl Luterbach has warned urgently against the rapid penetration of coronovirus variants discovered in Great Britain in Germany. “If it has come now that we are in the middle of the second wave, where we have such high cases, it would be a disaster,” said Lauterbach on Sunday evening picture-GSM “Right Question” https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/. “This is similar to setting fire and pouring petrol again.” Luterbach raised the possibility that new, allegedly more contagious Corona versions would arrive in Germany 100 percent sooner or later.

A mutation of the virus was recently discovered in Great Britain, which, according to initial findings by scientists, is 70 percent more infectious than the first known form. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that there is no evidence that vaccines were any less effective against mutation. Due to the Coronavirus version, Germany and other European countries are distancing themselves from the United Kingdom at the beginning of the week.

Lauterbach said he hopes the variant has not yet arrived in Germany. “Then we have to fight to maintain it for as long as possible.” This is “another reason why we have to strictly meet rigorous lockdowns” as long as new infections per 100,000 residents are below 50 or better than 25 within seven days. You can then “even if a new mutation occurs, immediately search and terminate each new cluster and return to the wave”. Currently, however, six federal states alone are above the 200 mark, with Saxony with a maximum of 427 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days.

The looterback believes that entry restrictions imposed by Germany and other EU countries for travelers from Great Britain and South Africa, which are also affected by the virus version, are urgently needed and can be maintained for longer . “If it is confirmed that it is too much viral, I would consider it at least weeks, if not months.” And even after the entry restrictions are lifted, everyone coming from the areas should continue to be tested.