Omicron is likely to become the dominant strain of Covid-19 in Germany in a few weeks, according to experts, and German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach warned mandatory vaccination may be needed to counter the next wave of infections.
Speaking during a joint news conference in Berlin on Wednesday, the president of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Lothar Wieler, warned that “in two to three weeks at the latest, the variant could be the predominant form of the coronavirus in Germany.”
Germany has so far detected 540 cases of Omicron, according to Wieler, although the RKI suspects that there may be several thousand undetected cases of the new variant.
In the face of rising infections, Lauterbach, also an epidemiologist, warned that mandatory vaccination may be needed to cope with the next wave of Covid-19.
“Without mandatory vaccination, I do not see us managing further waves in the long term,” Lauterbach said.
In early December, Germany banned unvaccinated people from most areas of public life, limiting them to essential businesses such as pharmacies and supermarkets. 70.5% of people are fully vaccinated in Germany according to the latest government data published Wednesday.
Lauterbach strongly urged Germans to take up the offer of a booster vaccine, calling it the “most important component in combating the Omicron variant.”
At least 33.8% of the population have received a booster dose in Germany, according to the latest government data published Wednesday.
