GERMANY: The German study on coronavirus gives some good news. The researchers say the lockdowns can be lifted now.
The German COVID-19 case cluster study shows that the COVID-19 infection fatality rate of about 0.37 percent, which was estimated way higher by the WHO.
The German study also reveals many people may already have immunity to coronavirus. Those who recover from the infection are immune to reinfection, at least for a while was also revealed in the study.
German scientist also state that large number of people have been infected by COVID-19 with out knowing it.
The good news according to German findings mean lockdowns could be lifted soon.
The study found that around fifteen percent of people in the Gangelt had the COVID-19 antibodies and were infected at some point. Based on this data it was concluded the coronavirus mortality rate was 0.37%
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The current fatality rate being shared at 3.5% is assumed to be inflated, according to the study this data does not count asymptomatic cases or the undiagnosed people who have recovered at home. The German study attempt to know the percentage of all the people infected who eventually die (infection fatality rate).
The German virologist studied the 80% population of Gangelt for antibodies that indicate if they had been infected by the coronavirus. They found out 15% had been infected which led to the calculation of fatality of COVID-19 to be about 0.37%.
Coronavirus kills four times more than seasonal flu
To compare with other seasonal flu the coronavirus kills four times more than the seasonal flu viruses do. To comapre with other seasonal flues:
- US infection fatality rate for 1957 – 58 flu epidemic was around 0.27%
- 1918 Spanish flu epidemic was 2.6%
- For seasonal flu, the average rate is around 0.1%
The German researchers, however, cautioned that to extrapolate these regional findings to the whole country would be wrong. They are of the opinion that the lockdowns can be lifted as long as people maintain a high level of hygiene to keep the virus under control.