Prime Minister on Corona going it alone: ​​"Raise the dike before there is water"

Created: 12/14/2021, 4:57 PM

From: Felix Busjaeger

Prime Minister Stephan Weil again emphasizes the need for the planned Christmas rest.

His health minister agrees and warns against Omikron.

Bremen / Hanover - High numbers of infections and full intensive care units: With a view to the approaching public holidays, the state government of Lower Saxony has decided in a new Corona regulation to call for a Christmas rest nationwide from Christmas to the New Year, including stricter contact restrictions.

In addition, discos are to close and dance events are to be banned.

Hard rules in Lower Saxony that could mean that citizens could move to other federal states over the holidays.

For Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) an unfounded concern.

Because of the Christmas break, he does not expect any possible party tourism.

Christmas rest in Lower Saxony: Weil explains the need for contact restrictions

The city states of Bremen and Hamburg have always been attractive destinations for Lower Saxony.

Both cities are important regional centers, so Weil.

"But I am also sure that those responsible in our neighboring countries will do what is necessary to avoid risks there too," he told the Bremen daily Weser Kurier.

"We have to raise the dike before the water is there," said the SPD politician, explaining the planned tightening of the rules.

While the further course of action in the corona pandemic is coordinated in Lower Saxony with the Christmas rest period, some employees can look forward to a corona bonus - but some also go away empty-handed.

Stephan Weil, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony and SPD politician, calls for a corona vaccination.

(Archive photo) © imago

Even if Lower Saxony is still doing relatively well in a nationwide comparison with regard to the number of infections, the new omicron variant of the corona virus is currently threatening public life.

"At the beginning of next year you will have to think about the right strategy to meet the perhaps greatest challenge so far," Weil told the Weser Kurier about the mutant.

While Germany is currently trying to get through the Corona winter well, hope is growing for the Novavax dead vaccine.

Warning level 3 in Lower Saxony: Health Minister warns of Omikron

While warning level 3 is now in force in almost half of the districts in Lower Saxony and the Christmas rest is approaching, Lower Saxony's Minister of Health Daniela Behrens (SPD) warns of the Omikron variant.

"We are assuming (...) that we will basically have Omikron as the predominant variant in Germany at the end of January, beginning of February," said the politician on Tuesday.

The new virus variant was currently spreading "extremely quickly".

Meanwhile, 2G was tipped at hairdressers in Lower Saxony.

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Like Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), Behrens emphasized that the vaccines currently available would also work against Omikron.

Currently unclear: Due to the lack of breadth of studies, it cannot yet be said whether the intensity of two vaccinations will be sufficient for a sufficiently protective immune response or whether a booster vaccination is necessary.

Similar to Stephan Weil, the minister saw the planned winter rest in Lower Saxony as a necessary means, which was intended in particular to contain the Omikron virus variant.

(With material from dpa) * Kreiszeitung.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.