The Microbiologist says that the current lockdown may not be effective in stopping the spread of the new mutation
Doctor-microbiologist prof. Alex Friedrich (UMCG) advocates tightening up the Coronavirus measures to stop the spread of the British Coronavirus variant. The well-known Doctor suggests a stricter lockdown, reports the GIC. The mutated version of the Coronavirus has now been confirmed in both Friesland and Groningen.
According to Friedrich, there is a chance that the British variant will spread quickly through the province. In parts of the UK the variant doubles the number of new infections every two weeks. Friedrich says that we actually have a ’70 percent’ lockdown right now; with no travel restrictions, open hotels and no curfew. Friedrich would prefer a travel ban, combined with a curfew and closed schools.
He also advocates testing even more, even in people without complaints. That strategy should lead to the reproduction figure falling well below 1 again, however unless that happens, the numbers of new infections will remain high in April and May.
Across the country, the infection rate is 275 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants, making the Netherlands one the higher risk areas in Europe. In Groningen, the figure is 219 infections per 100,000 inhabitants; mainly caused by clusters in East Groningen.
RTV Noord reports that Marjolein Knoester, a colleague of Friedrich, says that there is still a lot of uncertainty about the British variant. It seems to be more contagious, with fewer virus particles needed to infect someone . Because more people become infected, more people also become seriously ill. Knoester also says that more money should be put forward for research into new mutations, and that they could set up a research project at the UMCG within ten days, if funding were made available.
Image via Donald Trung Quoc Don (Chữ Hán: 徵國單) on Wikimedia. License here.
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