Omicron wave increases concern for millions of unvaccinated people

Created: 01/02/2022Updated: 01/02/2022, 4:35 pm

A note with the inscription “open vaccination campaign” hangs on a tree in Munich-Schwabing.

© Peter Kneffel / dpa

Omikron is spreading rapidly in Germany - but nobody knows how big the wave is.

Millions of elderly people without vaccination are considered acutely at risk.

But overall, Omikron also gives some hope.

Berlin - The federal government and leading virologists are looking at the growing omicron wave in Germany with cautious optimism, but acute concern for the millions of unvaccinated people.

Studies have shown that Omikron spreads much faster, but also causes slightly less severe cases, said Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) of "Bild am Sonntag".

"But that is not the all-clear for older people who have not been vaccinated." Almost 13 percent of the more than 24 million people over 60 are not vaccinated against Corona.

In total, more than 20 million people in Germany are not vaccinated.

The corona incidence rose for the fourth day in a row on Sunday.

The value was 222.7 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week.

However, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), many cases were not recorded on the holidays.

It is therefore currently unclear how high the Omikron wave is in Germany.

Its climax is still to be expected.

There were 12,515 new infections within one day.

Lauterbach is, in his own words, "very, very worried" about the unvaccinated. He once again appealed to people to get vaccinated against corona. “Many unvaccinated people have the feeling that the train has left for them anyway. That's not true! ”The first vaccination drastically reduces the risk of death after just 14 days. "By increasing the number of first vaccinations, we can effectively reduce the number of corona deaths in the Omikron wave," he said.

The minister also once again called for masks to be worn. “The viral load of the infected is lower with Omikron, so masks work better.” In schools, consistent wearing of masks is even “an absolute must for all classes”. The German Child Protection Association sees strict insistence on face-to-face teaching in schools as critical. “It cannot be a solution to insist on classroom teaching under all circumstances,” said President Heinz Hilgers of the “Rheinische Post”.

Because of the feared explosive spread of Omikron, the experts continue to fear that the clinics will be overloaded, although the variant is less likely to cause illness. According to the Berlin virologist Christian Drosten, an unvaccinated person with an Omikron infection carries three quarters of the risk of an unvaccinated person with the delta variant of Corona being admitted to a hospital. For those who have not been vaccinated, especially those over 60, it is now "really dangerous", according to Drosten.

25.8 percent of the total population in Germany have not yet been vaccinated. That is more than every fourth citizen - 21.5 million people. These include around 4 million children up to four who cannot yet be vaccinated. At least 71.2 percent of the total population have the immune protection of usually two vaccinations. At least 38.7 percent also received a booster vaccination.

Against the background of concerns about a sudden loss of staff in clinics and other supply areas, the President of the German District Association spoke out in favor of a shorter corona quarantine.

"A shortening of the quarantine can prove to be useful," said District Administrator Reinhard Sager to the newspapers of the Funke media group.

At the moment, according to Berlin's Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD), such a step is not yet necessary.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is concerned about the Omikron variant.

© Kay Nietfeld / dpa

"Right now we don't need that because our critical infrastructure has not yet been put out of action," said Giffey on Deutschlandfunk.

You see it as a step model.

Only when it is foreseeable that the police, fire brigade and other institutions are no longer able to work, such a measure must be decided.

The next Prime Minister's Conference on the Corona situation is scheduled for January 7th.

Lauterbach had announced proposals for the new week.

It is about what the increase in omicrons means for the contact reductions and the duration of quarantine periods.

There are hopeful predictions for the coming spring.

It is expected that vaccines adapted to Omikron will be available in the spring.

According to the virologist Drosten, those who have been vaccinated have broad protection against the variants after another vaccination adapted to Omikron.

One cannot rely on the fact that unvaccinated people who get a corona infection for the first time with Omikron, "that they are also protected against Delta and all previous viruses that will co-circulate," said Drosten on Friday on Deutschlandfunk.

more on the subject

Corona virus: That is why more and more people who have been vaccinated have severe disease - and have to go to the intensive care unit

Corona death despite full vaccination: According to the study, these people are at risk

Many corona deaths fully vaccinated - waiting for "booster"

But according to Drosten and Lauterbach, Omikron can lead to an endemic situation.

This means that Corona would continue to circulate, but a society can live better with it - and there is no longer any fear of overloading the health system.

dpa