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In view of the rapidly spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) adjusted its risk assessment on Monday.
Overall, the RKI assesses the risk to the health of citizens as "very high".
Even people who have been vaccinated twice and those who have recovered are therefore exposed to a high risk, while the risk of illness for those who have been vaccinated three times is given as "moderate".
For those who have not been vaccinated, the risk of infection is "very high".
"The reason for this is the occurrence and rapid spread of the Omikron variant, which according to the current state of knowledge (from other countries) is spreading significantly faster and more effectively than the previous virus variants," writes the RKI.
Due to the rapid spread of the Omikron variant, the institute fears a "sudden increase in the number of infections" and a rapid "overload of the health system".
The aim must be to "slow down the dynamics of the spread of Omikron, to minimize serious illnesses and deaths and to relieve the health care system" through contact restrictions and other measures.
The seven-day incidences are currently very high in all age groups - especially in the group of the unvaccinated - and are also significantly higher than in the same period of the previous year. According to the RKI, the number of people treated in the hospital for Covid-19 and the number of deaths are at a high or very high level. In addition, chains of infection could hardly be traced, since outbreaks occur in many different environments.
Politicians are also concerned with dealing with the new variant.
The topic of deliberations by the federal and state governments at the top level on Tuesday will also include the closure of clubs and discos.
The measures are intended to respond to an urgent call to action by the government's new Corona Expert Council.
According to the experts, Germany is threatened with a "new dimension" in the pandemic with Omikron.
Focus on private meetings and leisure time
In its first statement, the Council of Experts had also warned against infection of people who had been twice vaccinated and those who had recovered from Omikron.
"This can lead to an explosive spread." A considerable overload of the hospitals is to be expected.
"If the spread of the Omikron variant in Germany continues, a relevant part of the population would be ill and / or in quarantine at the same time."
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) ruled out a lockdown before Christmas on Sunday.
The prime ministerial conference will focus on private meetings and leisure activities.
"The federal and state governments will now exchange views on what further restrictions are conceivable," said the deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner.
It is particularly about private get-togethers, for which there is still an upper limit of 50 people indoors and 200 people outside, large events and clubs.
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) said on Deutschlandfunk: "I am sure that clubs and discos will close, that we will also reduce contacts for vaccinated people indoors." That will be agreed for January.
jok / AFP
