Is the next Corona wave coming after all?
The XBB.1.5 variant is spreading from North America. According to Maria van Kerkhove (45), Corona-Specialist of the World Health Organization (WHO), it is easier to transmit than any other variant.
She was nicknamed “Octopus” online.
For the first time, it is a virus composed of two different omicron variants.
In the USA, XBB.1.5 has dominated the infection process since mid-December, and hospital admissions are increasing.
The “octopus” has also been detected in Germany. Experts estimate that its share among corona infections in the first half of January will rise to three to six percent.
It is still unclear whether the variant leads to more dangerous courses in the event of infection. The virologist Luka Cicin-Sain (50) from the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research recommends a booster vaccination with vaccines adapted to Omicron for seniors and those at risk who had an infection or vaccination six months or more ago.
The corona situation in China remains tense. Yesterday, the Federal Foreign Office advised against “currently unnecessary trips” to the country.
This article comes from BILD am SONNTAG. The ePaper of the entire issue is available here.