The number of Covid infections is rising again. What does that mean for the upcoming autumn? And is there a connection between the number of cases and the “Barbenheimer” effect?
The summer is not over yet, but the number of corona cases is currently increasing again in several countries – albeit at a very low level so far.
Some experts suspect the so-called Barbenheimer effect is behind this: what is meant is a pop-cultural phenomenon surrounding the films “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”, which were released at the same time in July. They are currently ensuring high visitor numbers in German cinemas, among other places.
However, well-attended cinema halls also harbor the risk of being infected with pathogens there. “Not to paint it black, but is anyone worried about a post-Barbie or post-Oppie Covid wave?” asked US vaccine researcher Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, in a recent post the short message service X (formerly Twitter).
What does the increasing number of infections mean?
Individual indications suggest that the corona virus is currently spreading more strongly than in the recent past. Doctors recently diagnosed 175 percent more Covid 19 cases than in the previous week.
This also coincides with the current RKI case numbers, reports Der Spiegel. According to this, around 2,400 Covid 19 cases were reported last week – around 400 more than the week before. More people with Covid symptoms also had to go to the hospital – according to Spiegel, the increase here was 50 percent compared to the previous week.
Most recently, a total of three Covid cases per 100,000 inhabitants were reported to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) nationwide within seven days, as reported by Spiegel with reference to the Ministry of Health’s pandemic radar. For comparison, during the peak of the omicron wave in March 2022, the seven-day incidence was 1625.1. But you have to keep in mind that there was more testing back then.
Is there a connection between the Corona summer wave and the Barbenheimer effect?
“It may be that we have a summer wave,” explains epidemiologist Timo Ulrichs from the Berlin Akkon University for Human Sciences to the mirror. He also considers a connection between the so-called Barbenheimer effect and the increasing number of Covid cases to be plausible: “The weather was bad, more people went to the cinema, and there were two successful blockbusters at the same time. I find that interesting,” says Ulrichs.
Overall, the corona numbers are still at a comparatively very low level. In such a case, even a small increase in Covid diagnoses or hospital admissions can mean a huge percentage increase in the total number of cases.
Experts are currently assuming a further increase in the number of infections in autumn and winter at the latest. There are fears, especially if the coronavirus, flu and other infectious diseases occur at the same time, this could place a heavy burden on hospitals, general practitioners and other health facilities.
The Frankfurt virologist Martin Stürmer predicts “increased cases of illness” for Germany, which would not have existed without the new corona variant EG.5. This is now spreading in several countries and has been classified as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization (WHO). But the virologist sees no great risk for Germany. “At this low level, the infections will not lead to a new wave of stress for the clinics,” said Stürmer.
Sources used: Spiegel, Pandemicradar (Ministry of Health), X (formerly Twitter)
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