Lauterbach and Wieler press conference: “We do not rule out a hard lockdown in the new year”

A press conference was held Saturday with German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, Robert Koch Institute head Lothar Wieler and Andreas Gassen, chairman of the board of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.

“We must expect a fifth wave”

The new wave of coronavirus infections caused by the new Omicron variant can no longer be stopped, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said at the conference. Delta variant infections are gradually under control. “Nevertheless, we must certainly now expect a fifth wave. This is all due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.

Lauterbach also stressed the importance of booster vaccinations because Omikron, according to experts, can bypass protection after receiving only two doses of the vaccine. After a booster dose, 70 to 80 percent of people would be protected from symptomatic infection. According to Lauterbach, in order to continue administering booster vaccines with high frequency, they should also be given at the turn of the year and during the vacations.

Robert Koch Institute President Lothar Wieler urged caution during the Christmas holidays. The most important thing, he said, is to limit personal contact. “Christmas should not be the spark that ignites the Omicron fire,” Wieler said. Travel that is not essential should also be avoided. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach urged people to test themselves and celebrate only in a small group for Christmas. While the holidays do not pose a particular epidemiological challenge, caution is still advised, he stressed.

Lauterbach and Wieler on lockdown

Karl Lauterbach and Lothar Wieler also addressed the topic of another lockdown and said that it is not yet possible to say clearly whether “contingency plans” will be put into effect. Even before the press conference, however, Lauterbach stated that “we are not ruling anything out. We are taking everything into consideration if necessary.”

Robert Koch Institute President Wieler echoed Lauterbach’s opinion. It is impossible to predict when a lockdown will be necessary. Constant reassessment of the coronavirus situation is necessary. Claiming that a hard lockdown would be necessary in January would be pure speculation, Wieler said. None of them rule out a lockdown in the new year.

source: www.fr.de

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