Patient Information on the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

Compiled and reviewed by S. Temizel, MPH, specialist for hygiene and environmental medicine, Augsburg, Germany

When the first news of a novel respiratory virus was reported in the spring of 2020, no one could have guessed the global consequences that the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 would have - even though experts had been warning of a coming pandemic for several years. More than 600 million infections and well over 6 million deaths later - including over 150,000 in Germany - the world seems almost to have become accustomed to the virus. This is not least due to the fact that the severity of the disease has fortunately decreased as a result of the variants of the virus and the provision of a vaccine at an unprecedented rate.

After contact restrictions, quarantines and isolations, we must now ask the question: what next? SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious virus that affects the respiratory tract. It can still cause severe disease - especially in people with weak immune systems or other risk factors. People still die from COVID-19 disease. The protective measures are now well known to all of us: good vaccination protection, keeping your distance, reducing contact, wearing a mask, and ventilation. Protective measures must continue to be taken in certain areas, such as hospitals and nursing homes, where many of these so-called vulnerable groups are found.

There are fewer and fewer restrictions in our everyday lives - in some cases, domestic isolation is no longer even mandatory for people who test positive. Everyone must now decide for themselves how responsibly they want to deal with the virus. Continue to avoid large events? Wear a mask? Test? In this patient information sheet, we have summarized the most important recommendations without claiming to be exhaustive. Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions and some helpful sources of information. This patient information was last updated on 24/01/2023.