4 Editorial
Summer is approaching and with it the easing of the federal and state political corona
requirements due to the rapidly falling incidences. We have interviewed the economist
Professor Dr. Hasan Altas, who teaches at Kleve University of Applied Sciences, DE.
Altas developed a forecast model for pandemic modeling together with engineers last
year. In the interview, he describes the main features of the model and how it can be
continuously improved. Altas anticipates declining 7-day incidences that should stay
below 20 by the end of the year in Germany. He also advocates relaxing rapid tests if
the positive rate falls below 5% because mass testing is then no longer useful. Furthermore,
the expert, who became known through his criticism of the Robert Koch-Institute
(RKI) course on the lack of mathematical modeling, believes that mutants will
not drive things up dramatically again according to current knowledge. However, they
naturally remain a certain risk and you have to pay more attention to them, especially
in international air traffic, with appropriate tests and hygiene measures. Accordingly,
nothing should really stand in the way of a slow ramp-up of the economy, and also of
the trade fair business, albeit with a sense of proportion and well thought-out concepts.
However, there will be no return to supposedly total security before the outbreak
of the pandemic, because the virus will no longer leave us. We will all have to be
prepared for regular follow-up vaccinations, as with every "normal flu wave."
In terms of medical history, pandemic waves have shaken mankind several times. This
is not over yet and it was definitely not the last. This is not a reason for pessimism. Vaccine
development went extremely fast even by scientific standards, as did the approvals.
If you have to complain about 80,000 deaths in Germany, that's no small matter.
But other diseases like cancer kill more people every year. In this respect, the damage
has so far remained manageable.
It is important to recognize where we are going if we do not stop cutting down the forests
and take energetic action against climate change. A policy that is acceptable and
explainable for all involved has to face this. That will lead to cuts. In this situation, tax
increases are certainly the wrong way out of the crisis, because they inhibit innovation.
In this issue we are once again presenting numerous companies with their innovations
in products, and services. Digitization is the constant topic in technology and analytics.
Harmonized interfaces and cloud solutions will keep us busy for a long time.
FOOD-Lab would not be so successful if we didn't look at all topics along the supply chain.
Authenticity continues to play a major role, but so does changing preferences and
shifts in supply in the grocery trade. We also take a look at the range of fruit products
and why consumption is increasing, but especially of apples is decreasing.
I hope you enjoy reading it.
Yours, Thomas Kützemeier
publisher and editor-in-chief
phone: +49 (0) 152/33 92 43 47
email: info@mcongressconsult.de
Editorial
Slowly back to normal
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