According to a media report, virologist Christian Drosten sees the rapid succession of the latest corona waves as a sign that the corona pandemic will end soon.

Whether next winter will be tough again depends on which omicron variant of the virus will prevail, the newspaper “Die Zeit” quotes Drosten as saying: “Two omicron variants are currently starting up: BF.7 and BQ.1.1.

BF.7 would be the better case, this variant is very similar to BA.5 which a large part of the population is already immune to.

Then there would be a gentle winter wave.”

This wave would differ from all previous ones and would no longer be caused by a significant change in the virus: "It would then no longer be a pandemic wave," says Drosten.

With BF.7 one would have "arrived in the endemic state".

In the case of BQ.1.1, however, this would “not yet be so clear, because there is an additional immune escape here”.

The virus can better escape the immune system of those who are already infected or vaccinated.

And in fact, BQ.1.1 is catching up in several European countries.

"If it becomes dominant, the winter could be difficult again."

"A kind of revolution, through renewed massive distribution somewhere in the world"

In the short term, the virologist from the Berlin Charité does not believe that a significantly more dangerous variant of Sars-CoV-2 will occur.

"At many points in its evolution, the virus cannot easily go back." However, the virologist does not want to completely rule out a possible scenario: "It would take a kind of revolution, through renewed massive spread somewhere in the world."

His current concern is China.

“Immunity is distributed quite homogeneously worldwide, in industrialized countries through infection through vaccination, in poorer countries even through multiple infections of the population.

In China, however, that is not the case.

I wouldn't rule out another leap happening there in terms of evolution."

Meanwhile, Corona infected people in North Rhine-Westphalia will no longer need to test themselves after five days of isolation from next Wednesday - it will then end automatically.

“Even after the five days have expired, you should test yourself and voluntarily avoid contact until the test result is negative, or wear a mask if contact is unavoidable,” recommended Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) on Wednesday in Düsseldorf.

However, the previous obligation to take a free test will no longer apply from November 30th.

For employees in medical facilities, however, there is a ban on working until a negative test result is available.

The state government is adapting the test and quarantine regulation.

If the self-test is positive, you are therefore obliged to have a rapid test or PCR test carried out immediately at an official test center or by a doctor.

That costs nothing.

"If the result of the control test is negative, there is no obligation to isolate," the ministry said.

If the result is positive, on the other hand, you have to go directly to a five-day isolation.

The first full day after the test is taken counts as the first day of confinement.

The day on which the test was taken is therefore not counted.

Laumann still considers it necessary to isolate infected people.

“Winter is just around the corner with cold temperatures.

The flu epidemic is just beginning.

Isolation can help prevent infection and reduce strain on our healthcare system," he said.

"Anyone who feels ill should contact their doctor and take sick leave - this is still possible by telephone."