Germany’s top virologists doubt sense of mandatory vaccination due to Omicron

Vaccines protect against severe diseases. That’s why many German politicians, above all the chancellor, want mandatory vaccinations. Some – especially Olaf Scholz – have broken their own promises in this regard.

Scientists in Denmark have proven that doubly vaccinated people have almost no protection against Omicron infection. And virologist Christian Drosten (49, Charité) said of the risk of infection: “There is virtually no difference between the unvaccinated and the doubly vaccinated.”

At the same time, the coalition in Germany has postponed the introduction of mandatory vaccination – the Bundestag is not expected to discuss the issue for the first time until next week.

Many Germans are asking themselves: will mandatory vaccination ever become law? In the midst of the debate on the topic, well-known virologists have questioned the point of mandatory vaccinations. Because while Omicron is highly contagious, it is also much milder than its aggressive predecessor Delta.

German virologists see no point in mandatory vaccination

â–º Virologist Klaus Stöhr said: “What good would compulsory vaccination do us from, say, March or April, when Omicron is already contained?” By then, says Stöhr, the worst will be over, because in his opinion “we are nearing the end of the pandemic”.

â–º Virologist Alexander Kekulé (63) from Halle said that the whole discussion about mandatory vaccination “no longer makes sense because of Omicron”. For the current wave, mandatory vaccination would be “already useless in terms of time”. According to Kekulé, now “we are basically dealing with another virus”. The virologist predicts: “This is another reason why a universal vaccination requirement, even if it could be 100 percent enforced, would offer only little epidemiological protection.”

â–º Virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit (42, University of Hamburg) also predicts that after the omicron wave “there will be a question about the meaning” of mandatory vaccination. In his opinion, it would first be “necessary to see how many people have been vaccinated and have recovered.”

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is nevertheless determined to introduce mandatory vaccination. “So that I can prevent another wave in the autumn,” the SPD politician told RTL’s editorial board.

source: www.bild.de

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