Essen
In the series “The Consultation Hours” we talk to the doctor Prof. Weckbecker about the “end” of the pandemic – and how the Corona situation will continue.
Farewell to Corona? It’s probably not quite that simple. Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) now has the Pandemic officially declared over in Germany. The corona protection measures expire on Good Friday. The Federal Government’s Corona Expert Council, which has been active since December 2021, has ceased its work. At the same time, however, a new virus variant is spreading rapidly from India: XBB.1.16 – called Arcturus. The Robert Koch Institute is therefore assuming that there will be a sharp increase in the number of corona cases in Germany as well.
In the new episode of our video series “The Consultation Hours” with Professor Klaus Weckbecker, we are therefore talking about determining where we are in terms of Corona: is the next wave coming? Is it possible to foresee how the virus will develop further? Who should be vaccinated again – and with which vaccine? Where did we make mistakes during the pandemic – what have we learned for the next?
Prof. Weckbecker teaches general medicine at the University of Witten/Herdecke and as such a recognized expert on family medicine issues. Together with him we regularly devote ourselves to the so-called common diseases and everyday medical issues.
Dewr physician is certain: The next corona waves will come. And he strongly recommends that people with previous illnesses and a weakened immune system, i.e. so-called vulnerable groups of people, take the Treatment with the drug Paxlovid, should they fall ill with Covid-19. The drug significantly reduces the risk of the disease. It should be taken within five days of the first symptoms appearing
In an interview, Prof. Weckbecker explains to us
- Why the end of the pandemic is not quite there yet
- Why Arcturus is spreading rapidly – but that’s ultimately no reason to be afraid
- Which factors influence the course of the next waves
- How vaccinations in Europe defeated the pandemic
- So why should we continue to get vaccinated….
- …. unless we are already vaccinated and have had a disease with the omicron variant.
- Why the pandemic management in Germany was a success despite all the mistakes and public nagging – and what lessons we should learn.
- Why we need to improve data collection in healthcare very, very urgently and quickly and without the excuse “data protection”.
Disclaimer:
Klaus Weckbecker is a general practitioner with his own practice and Employed university lecturer at the University of Witten/Herdecke. Neither he himself nor the chair he heads receive any funding from the pharmaceutical industry. Klaus Weckbecker also does not own any (stock) shares in pharmaceutical companies.
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