The world is currently looking for the new variant of the coronavirus, which has led to severe restrictions, flight bans and border closings in Great Britain and Europe.

The virologist Jörg Timm from the University Hospital Düsseldorf has also looked for clues about the variant in the data of his corona patients.

WORLD:

You looked for the new virus in the data of corona patients.

Did you find something?

Jörg Timm:

No.

But like many of my colleagues, I assume that variant B.1.1.7 has long been in Germany.

The variant has now also been detected in a patient from Baden-Württemberg who was apparently infected in Great Britain and who came with the infection.

There will certainly be more of these cases that we do not yet know about.

WORLD:

If the virus is already there - weren't the border closings and tough measures in Great Britain exaggerated?