Germany's Covid-19 expert: 'For many, I'm the evil guy crippling the economy'

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/26/virologist-christian-drosten-germany-coronavirus-expert-interview

by jonashoechst • 6 years ago

18 4 6 years ago

Tomte• 6 years ago

The part about the death threats is the clickbaity part, but there is actually interesting stuff in this short interview. Like about camels in the Middle East.

ljf• 6 years ago

I just posted this to another thread - but I think it would be of value here :

I think it is interesting that the discussions are only framed in measuring deaths, and also focus on deaths of the old. I'm watching friends and family knocked back by this virus for weeks, and now pushing into months (36 days and 42 days since first symptoms for 2 people I know), and research in the US and China points to the increase in long term health risks in the 20 to 50 year olds that recover from this. I know people that just walk away from this with no impact, but if we only focus on death we are likely missing the bigger picture.

MandieD• 6 years ago

Living in a country led by a Chemistry PhD who lets Dr. Drosten and his colleagues do most of the talking about Covid-19, and has long had some pretty sturdy expectant mother protections in place has been about as good a pandemic experience as I can imagine having as a relatively old pregnant woman. My company medical office called my boss to order me to work from home two days after I decided I'd prefer to - unnecessary, because my boss agreed to let me as soon as I started worrying about it. The next week, we were all ordered to work from home.

I'm flabbergasted every time I see a news story from the US about a pregnant woman worried about having to keep working in a public-contact job with inadequate protection. Here right now, it's completely out of the question; if her employer can't find her a role that doesn't require public contact, she's on medical leave at most of her pay. This is usually the case for preschool workers and some medical professionals, as well as women in jobs that involve exposure to harmful chemicals or biologic agents.

_Microft• 6 years ago

He fought dinosaurs, body snatchers and aliens. Now I trust him to deal with the virus., https://i.imgur.com/ofKsRhI.jpg

The best thing about the reaction here in Germany (beside 'things working out fine so far') is how unexcitedly things are happening. Nobody is showing off in biohazard suits, no 'fearless' politicians shaking hands in hospitals, just 'There is a problem and we will deal with it'.

After the pandemic (and I hope it will come to an end one day because distancing sucks), we should communicate that the climate crisis shares a lot of properties with the pandemic. It is getting worse the longer we keep doing what we are doing, the consquences are delayed and dire and the efforts required to bring about change are massive. I still think we can deal with this problem as well if we want to, especially now since the 'official future' (basically the assumption that the world will look like it used to) is dead [0] and a lot of things that were accepted until now are questioned.

(To make life easier for future Internet historians: it is Jeff Goldblum in images 1 to 3 (from top-left to bottom-right) and virologist Christian Drosten in the bottom right image.)

Germany's Covid-19 expert: 'For many, I'm the evil guy crippling the economy'

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