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imago images / Reiner Zensen
The chief virologist of the Berlin Charité, Christian Drosten (48), expects the first six months of the coronavirus crisis to be a challenge in 2021. “I am already looking forward to the new year with optimism, but I think the first half of year will be very complicated. “
This is what Drosten told the Berliner Morgenpost on Sunday. It assumes that “the situation could improve in the second half of the year, but only if you manage to vaccinate a large number of people in the first six months.”
Vaccination in doctor’s offices
Regarding criticism of the procedure for acquiring the coronavirus vaccine, Drosten said that “now it is practically impossible to evaluate it in retrospect.” The EU had to request the vaccine months in advance and at the time had no idea “if the vaccine in question would work”.
The scientist noted that after the Biontech vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine had already been approved in Great Britain. “In the EU, you should catch up with this very quickly, because this vaccine can also be used in normal medical practices. With this vaccine you do not have a special refrigeration obligation. “
Extend the blockade?
With a view to discussing an extension of the confinement in Germany, the virologist said that in view of the lower number of tests during the holidays, there are currently no reliable data. However, the proportion of positive tests shows “that the numbers are not going down right now. This is not right. “It was only in mid-January that it was possible to say whether the blockade would have to extend until February. (SDA / gf)
