Cerberus

You know Cerberus, the dog to hell from Greek mythology. This is also the nickname of a Corona Omicron variant scientifically known as BQ.1.1.

Data suggest that the variant is capable of tricking the immune system. Vaccinations and passed infections may offer little protection against re-infection with the BQ.1.1. virus. Its altered genetic makeup can evade antibodies from vaccinated and recovered individuals better than the previously prevalent variants. As a result, it spreads more quickly.

Indeed, experts are most concerned by the speed with which BQ.1.1 is spreading. Thus, the US immunologist Anthony Fauci warned about the rapid doubling time.

The number of infections with BQ.1.1 doubles about every week, especially in Europe and North America, and Frankfurt virologist Martin Stürmer warns of exponential growth.

 
Whether Red Baron imported Cerberus from the States is unknown, for the result of his PCR test was not sequenced.


In the new Infection Protection Act, the federal government placed expanded corona protection measures under the states' authority. Now fall is here, and with it comes a concern about another sharp increase in corona infection numbers. In Hamburg, masks are mandatory for public transportation. The Berlin Senate wants to decide whether to make masks compulsory in supermarkets. In Brandenburg and Saxonia-Anhalt, something similar is pending. Bavaria prefers the mask only in certain places to protect people at risk, while Hesse and Saarland, for example, recommend voluntary wearing.

But the health ministers of the federal states have decided at a meeting to proceed in a unified manner with the introduction of a possible mask obligation indoors and to work out appropriate threshold values for this, "It is important to us that, if possible, a uniform procedure is decided, that it is as clear as possible, if the incidence is 500 or 1000, that one proceeds in the same way in Hamburg as well as in Munich."

Meanwhile, individual clinics are already reporting staff shortages. So much for the situation in Germany.


Anyone infected with Corona in Germany must be isolated for at least five days. Is that still necessary? How do other countries currently handle the quarantine obligation?

The critics argue that it is time to treat Corona like a "normal" disease and rely on personal responsibility. In addition, symptom-free infected persons could go to work with masks and thus alleviate staff shortages, including in clinics. Proponents of mandatory isolation - such as our Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) - warn, however, that the number of infections will rise.

Several European countries abolished the isolation obligation, called quarantine, months ago.

 

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In Austria, there has been no quarantine obligation since August - instead, the government relies on "traffic restrictions." This means that infected persons are only allowed to leave their homes under special rules - they must wear an FFP2 mask and are prohibited from entering schools or hospitals unless they work in the respective institution.

On April 1, 2022, the Swiss Federal Council lifted all nationwide Corona measures. Since then, the federal government and cantons have limited themselves to vaccination and behavioral recommendations.

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Across Switzerland, the number of infected persons is currently increasing. The 7-day incidence is over 400, but only five percent of hospital patients are there because of Corona. This is seen by Swiss authorities as confirmation that no further action is needed.

The basic argument of the Federal Council is quite typical of Switzerland: the personal responsibility of the individual or individuals is placed above collectivist protection.

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In Poland, there has been no requirement for isolation since March 28.

In February, the isolation requirement was abolished in all parts of the United Kingdom. In the event of a positive test, the request is to isolate for five days if possible.

The infection figures remain at a high level. This means there is no relief for hospitals, which now fear a double wave of Corona and flu for the fall and winter.

An immunologist at Imperial College in London, Prof. Danny Altmann, says, "The political will to get off Covid has been so strong that we are knowingly sending highly infectious people into workplaces, schools, and doctors' offices. We're paying a heavy price for that."

As of March 28, Spain no longer has a quarantine requirement for mild and asymptomatic cases.

Since then, infection numbers have remained relatively stable. The same is true for the number of deaths. The utilization of hospitals and intensive care units has been at the lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic. In general, the elimination of mandatory quarantine has worked well.

The re-introduction of mandatory isolation is not an issue in all these countries. And in Germany?

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That infection rates are rising - as feared by some in Germany - cannot be proven from the data. However, falling incidence curves must not be allowed to deceive either: At the same time as central Corona measures - such as compulsory isolation - are abolished, test numbers fall significantly, i.e., the incidence falls only on paper.

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