The Innsbruck infectiologist and director of the university clinic for internal medicine, Günter Weiss, now sees Corona and Covid-19 as “a completely different disease than a year ago”. The virus is now “included in other seasonal respiratory infections or illnesses.” A year ago, in the course of the Delta variant, “severe cases” were still identified – this has now “changed dramatically”.
“The odds of dying from Corona have become very low,” the renowned doctor told the APA. A year ago there were still many cases of lung failure and the intensive care units were full. “Fortunately, since February we have not seen a lung that has completely failed due to a corona infection,” says Weiss.
Mild variant, improved immunity
The expert now sees a clear change in the situation, for example due to the predominantly mild Omicron variant and the improved immune situation due to vaccinations and/or infections that have been passed.
“No more really serious cases”
There are also no longer such excessive immune reactions as previously observed with Covid-19, so that drugs that suppress the immune system no longer have to be used. “For two-thirds to three-quarters of people who come to the hospital with a covid infection, Corona is no longer the biggest problem. The remaining patients have fever and respiratory symptoms, but we haven’t seen the really serious cases,” Weiss said.
In contrast, there are so-called bacterial secondary infections of the lungs (pneumonia) associated with Covid-19, as is also known from flu.
Residual risk of new severe mutations
The new variants such as BQ1 and BQ1.1, which blow over from the US to Europe, are – just like Omikron – so-called immune escape variants, but they too – as far as can be assessed at the moment – no longer have the deadly effects such as infections with previous SARS-CoV-2 variants such as Alpha or Delta. It is of course not known whether this will remain the case, there is always a residual risk of new mutations with a serious course.
In any case, the following applies: “Covid SARS-CoV-2 will become part of those viral infections that worry and plague us, especially in the cold season,” says Weiss. There is a need for coercive action by the state if the situation remains about the same, at least not anymore. However, individual hygiene measures are still useful.
Classification as “psychological history”
Whether the WHO will soon declare the corona pandemic over and whether it will be declared endemic in the future is not so decisive for Weiss. This is rather a “dispute about the Emperor’s beard”. The World Health Organization only declared Corona a pandemic after it had been clear for weeks that the virus was a global problem. He now regards the classification as more of a ‘psychological story’ anyway.
The pressure on capacities and employees is increasing
Other respiratory infections are currently more of a concern to Weiss than Corona, especially in terms of pressure on hospital capacity. At the moment, the acute care clinic is more confronted with flu and RSV infections than with corona.
The accumulation of viral diseases and the resulting isolation measures, combined with bed closures due to the precarious staff situation, as well as the increasing need to admit patients who need to be hospitalized but have no space, are also increasing the pressure on capacities and staff, according to Weiss.
There is often a lack of offers
Another problem contributes to the deterioration of the document situation in the hospitals. There would often be a lack of aftercare facilities or care provision in the home environment of the patients. “Patients who do not actually need to be admitted often stay longer in hospital,” the expert referred to an eminent problem. In addition, in urban areas such as Innsbruck, there is a lack of outpatient medical care outside the hospital on weekends, and both seriously ill patients and those with more mundane medical problems are flocking to the emergency room, putting the system on the verge of collapse.
More flu and RSV infections
The stronger wave of flu and RSV infections that is just building up is indirectly related to corona measures. As a result, there has been less exposure to these viruses in recent years. “Immunological memory is a little bit down on these viruses and they’ve changed a little bit, so it’s in the nature of things that these infections are now affecting more people and sometimes getting more serious,” Weiss explained.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
