Diseases - Different behavior after Corona? "People forget things like that"
The Rostock-based infectiologist Emil Reisinger does not expect the coronavirus pandemic to have a lasting effect on people's behavior, for example during colds. "People forget such things relatively quickly," the doctor told the German Press Agency. However, the last corona wave was only a year ago. Many people therefore paid attention to vaccinations and avoided larger events. Others, on the other hand, were no longer paying attention at all. "When you're out and about on the streets, you don't see much change compared to the time before coronavirus," said Reisinger.
"We now have the cold snap and the numbers of respiratory pathogens are increasing significantly." According to the latest report from the State Office for Health and Social Affairs (Lagus), an estimated 38,300 people in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern visited a doctor in the penultimate week of November due to a new cold, which is more than in the previous two weeks. In the last week of October, however, the figure was already more than 41,400, according to the data.
According to the data, the proportion of coronaviruses among the underlying pathogens has grown steadily in recent weeks. Coronaviruses recently accounted for the largest share. According to Reisinger, coronavirus is also on the rise again. This has to do with the recurring emergence of new strains. These are gaining ground because they are more infectious. "But thankfully not more pathogenic." The courses are usually mild. The majority of the population is immunized through infection or vaccination. According to Reisinger, ten patients were recently intubated with Covid in the whole of MV. He does not expect hospitals to be overloaded.
According to Lagus, rhinoviruses recently accounted for the largest share after coronaviruses. "Rhinoviruses are pests, but don't usually cause serious illness," said Reisinger. They cause coughs, colds, hoarseness or mild fever. According to Lagus, the third most common respiratory pathogen was adenoviruses. According to Reisinger, these do not usually cause too severe an illness.
Reisinger expects the flu to arrive in MV in January. "Now is still the time to get vaccinated against coronavirus and influenza." This is especially true for older people, people with pre-existing conditions, people who work in hospitals or care facilities or who have a lot of contact with others. "And pregnant women should also get vaccinated. In Germany, we have an influenza vaccination rate for pregnant women of around 17 percent. That is very low." This can lead to severe cases and newborns are also affected.
Pregnant women can also be vaccinated against RSV to protect very young children. The pathogen mainly affects children aged between zero and four and older people. Reisinger is expecting a wave of RSV around Christmas time.
He still wears a mask, for example, when people cough on trains or planes, said Reisinger. He also said: "If you are ill yourself, it makes sense to wear a mask." It would also be possible to recommend the wearing of masks in hospitals again if the numbers increase significantly. At Rostock University Hospital, it has so far been possible to compensate for staff absences due to illness.
Meanwhile, Lagus recently recorded an above-average number of nursery children with respiratory illnesses in the north-east for this time of year. In Vorpommern-Rügen, for example, every fifth child in the daycare centers surveyed was reported sick.
Lagus reports Latest Lagus report
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- Emil Reisinger, an infectiologist based in Rostock, does not believe that the behavior changes observed during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as during colds, will have a long-term impact on people.
- According to a report from the State Office for Health and Social Affairs (Lagus), over 38,300 people in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern visited their doctors with new colds in the penultimate week of November, a significant increase from the previous two weeks.
- Coronaviruses have accounted for the largest share of underlying pathogens in recent weeks, with a growing number of Covid-19 cases due to the emergence of new, more infectious strains.
- Rhinoviruses are the second most common respiratory pathogen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, causing symptoms like coughs, colds, hoarseness, and mild fever.
- Adenoviruses, which are not typically associated with severe illness, have also been identified as a common respiratory pathogen, although not as prevalent as coronaviruses or rhinoviruses.
- Reisinger, the infectiologist, has recommended wearing masks in certain situations, such as on public transportation when others are coughing, and encourages vaccination against both Covid-19 and the flu, especially for high-risk populations.
- Lagus recently reported an above-average number of nursery children with respiratory illnesses in the north-east, with every fifth child in Vorpommern-Rügen daycare centers surveyed reported sick.
Source: www.stern.de
