Omicron worries are great. The Federal Minister of Health finds clear words, clinics urge countermeasures at an early stage. Nationwide, opponents of the corona policy are taking to the streets again.
Berlin – According to the German Hospital Association (DKG), the situation in clinics in Germany could worsen significantly if the prognoses for the Omikron variant of the coronavirus prove to be true.
If it is confirmed that this is much more contagious than Delta and that the courses are comparably difficult, in the worst case one will have to deal with a large number of seriously ill patients at the same time, said DKG boss Gerald Gaß of the German press agency. “For the hospitals, this would be a further aggravated situation that goes beyond everything that we have experienced so far.”
Lauterbach expects a massive fifth wave
In several cities, demonstrations against the corona policy of the federal and state governments and against vaccinations are planned on Saturday. Around 8,000 participants are expected at an event in Hamburg. The police are preparing for a large-scale operation. The Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans (CDU) advised vigilance in view of the radicalization of parts of this protest movement.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) had recently made it clear that he was expecting a massive fifth wave. The omicron wave can be delayed, but not prevented. The countries Great Britain and Denmark, which are already particularly affected by the variant, had recorded record numbers of new infections in the past few days. Germany’s northern neighbor, along with France, will be classified as a high-risk area from Sunday. With the exception of Luxembourg, all of Germany’s neighboring countries will be deemed to be such areas in the future.
Gaß called on politicians to analyze the findings on Omikron from other countries “very carefully” and – if the fears were confirmed – to take countermeasures “very early” with contact restrictions. “We must then not lose any time, then we have to act immediately, even before the numbers go up in Germany and an overload of the hospitals can no longer be prevented.”
Lauterbach said on Friday in Hanover with a view to Omikron that such a challenge had not yet been seen in the pandemic. What is currently being observed in the UK exceeds anything that has been observed in the pandemic so far. He emphasized: “The only thing that reliably protects against a severe course of the Omicron infection is the booster vaccination.”
Vaccination campaign must keep pace
City Council President Markus Lewe warned that the vaccination campaign for adults must keep its momentum: “It’s good news: never before have so many people been vaccinated and boosted every day as they are now. We vaccinate without ceasing, even on the weekends in many communal vaccination centers and doctor’s offices. This pace must continue seamlessly in the new year. ”The federal government is required to provide sufficient vaccine.
With a view to Christmas, Lauterbach called on all citizens to proceed according to the principle when traveling: “We protect each other.” Everyone should be tested beforehand or at least test themselves – preferably several times.
Labor Minister Hubertus Heil also appealed to people’s sense of responsibility, also with a view to the economy. “The question of getting vaccinated is not just a question of personal health responsibility or solidarity with those with previous illnesses, children and those who toil in intensive care units. It is also a question of economic responsibility, ”said the SPD politician of the“ Rheinische Post ”(Friday). “We can only get out of this crisis with vaccinations.” Dpa
