Munich, 14 April 2020.
Leading virologist and Entourage advisor Prof. Dr. Günther Schönrich gives his assessment of the first interim results of a representative study from NRW on how and with what consequences the virus has spread.
In an interview with Deutsche Welle, leading virologist and Entourage advisory board member Prof. Dr. Günther Schönrich gives his assessment of the first interim results of a representative study from North Rhine-Westphalia on how the virus has spread and with what consequences.
In the district of Heinsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia, virologists tested 1,000 residents by taking throat swabs and blood samples. After evaluating around half of the tests, 15% of the inhabitants were infected with the virus. Of these, 0.34% died. This results in a significantly lower mortality rate than previously expected.
According to Prof. Günther Schönrich, it is difficult to extrapolate these results to Germany as a whole because the country is still at the beginning of the pandemic. In other parts of Germany, the spread of the virus looks different and will only converge over time. Prof. Schönrich therefore advises people to remain vigilant and make sure that the current measures have taken effect before lifting the restrictions.
The all-clear cannot yet be given. Nevertheless, the economic pressure is great and politicians must consider whether smaller stores and car dealerships can reopen in the foreseeable future, taking hygiene and distancing regulations into account. Physical distancing, i.e. keeping a distance from other people, should continue to be observed. To prevent the virus from spreading from person to person, larger events should continue to be avoided.
Short profile Prof. Dr. Günther Schönrich.
Prof. Dr. med. Günther Schönrich studied medicine and philosophy at the Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg and received his doctorate in medicine in 1985, specialising in cardiology. He completed his postdoc at the Institute of Immunology and Genetics of the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg. Mr Schönrich has in-depth knowledge of microbiology, virology, infection epidemiology and immunology. Since 2006, Mr Schönrich has been Deputy Director of the Institute of Virology (CCM) at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Short profile Entourage.
Entourage is a management and HR consultancy with a focus on pharmaceuticals, medical technology and health care. With the placement of permanent scientific employees and consultants, the Munich and Basel-based company wins experts for the leading life science companies in the DACH region. With Project Consultants, Entourage realises projects for clients through highly qualified temporary staffing and work contracts. With the Entourage Task Force (ETF), Entourage bundles selected interim managers and management consultants into a high-calibre consulting unit that realises pharmaceutical and medical technology solution scenarios in consulting projects on an interdisciplinary basis.
