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After the spread of more contagious Corona variants in other countries, politicians and scientists are worried: The mutants could also take off in Germany, especially if more public life should be allowed again.

Now there is the first data on the variants.

First of all, Lothar Wieler, President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), had good news on Friday: The number of cases fell in most regions nationwide.

However, intensive care units are still burdened, there are outbreaks in old people's homes and the number of deaths is still high.

The RKI boss emphasizes: "The situation is far from under control."

Why does Wieler say that when the number of cases is falling?

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There are three variants of the virus that are even more contagious than previous forms.

These cause the RKI "great worries".

Wieler speaks of a "new quality".

The genetic makeup of the pathogen has changed, it is now better adapted to humans, it is easier to get infected.

This was noticed, for example, in Great Britain before Christmas during ergbut analyzes (sequencing).

Until recently, there was no such close-knit search for mutations in Germany.

Which variants are you talking about?

In Germany, the main focus is on variant B.1.1.7, which was first discovered in Great Britain.

The number of reproductions (R value) was 0.5 higher, said Wieler.

That is only a small amount in appearance.

A calculation example: Assuming the R value with previous virus forms would be 1 thanks to measures, then 100 infected people infected an average of 100 more people.

With B.1.1.7 it would be 50 more.

The variants gave the virus a “boost”, an amplifier, said Wieler.

There are also variants that are in

South Africa and Brazil are in circulation.

Among other things, they are worried that the previously approved vaccines will be less effective.

How common are the variants in Germany?

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B.1.1.7 is currently most widespread, according to Wieler, but the other two have also been discovered.

The variant from Great Britain was proven in 13 federal states and made up a share of 5.8 percent in a sample.

The frequency of evidence has increased.

This means that the variants, especially B.1.1.7, have arrived here, but are not yet dominant.

"We have to expect that the proportion will continue to increase." This makes fighting the pandemic more difficult, and Sars-CoV-2 has become more dangerous.

How meaningful are the numbers?

The share of almost six percent is primarily an initial value.

The question of how the proportion of the variant develops over time is more interesting.

Then it could be said whether, for example, B.1.1.7 replaces forms that have been widespread up to now.

Wieler initially announced three follow-up surveys in laboratories every two weeks.

The current status came about through follow-up examinations of around 31,000 positive corona samples from last week with a special PCR test in laboratories.

There was also data from more time-consuming genome sequencing.

These were carried out 3,000 times in January and thus around twice as often as in the entire year 2020, said Wieler.

In relation to the total number of samples, this is still a small proportion.

How is the experience of other countries?

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Experts look to Denmark, for example, where they are closely looking for variants: It was only on Thursday that the local health institute SSI warned that B.1.1.7 would continue to spread despite strict lockdown measures.

At the turn of the year B.1.1.7 was found in 2.3 percent of the analyzed positive corona samples.

Since then, things have risen steeply from week to week: in the last week of January, the variant was detected in almost every fifth sample analyzed (19.5 percent).

The local health authorities estimate that the variant will account for the majority of infections in the country in early March.

In Portugal, where the corona situation has recently come to a head, the variant already has a 60 percent share, said Wieler.

Can the spread of the variant still be stopped?

The virologist Christian Drosten had said about two weeks ago that he suspected that the variants would be introduced over Christmas and that there was still a time window to nip the spread in the bud.

In the meantime, I heard from other experts that the spread was already greater than assumed.

Wieler now said that the spread of Sars-CoV-2 and the variants

must at least be slowed down.

In the event of easing, consistent protection concepts are needed, and in general the numbers should be depressed as much as possible.

The virologist Melanie Brinkmann told the “Spiegel” (online on Friday) that enough people could never be vaccinated “before the mutants hit”.

This race was long lost.

What role do the variants play for the lockdown?

The decisive one.

This is also made clear by Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) before her eagerly anticipated switch with the Prime Minister this Wednesday.

The decision should be made here: Are there any easing - or will the restrictions initially planned until February 14th be extended?

According to her information, Merkel cannot yet say that "because I have to look at how far the British virus has already got," as she said in an interview.

Sections of the economy and some parents' representatives are putting pressure on politicians to relax.

Are politicians giving in to pressure to relax?

It doesn't have to be.

In politics, the view has prevailed that despite all the restrictions, some acted too late and too inconsistently - especially with the "lockdown light" from November, which led straight to higher infection rates and the tougher lockdown since December 16.

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) and Hamburg's Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) are publicly on the brakes when easing.

It has been agreed that if, then daycare centers and schools should open more again first.