The German Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbach, ruled out on Sunday a shutdown of the economy due to Christmas, but warned that a fifth hello from covid-19 will not be able to stop and endorsed the compulsory vaccination as the only way to contain the pandemic.
“There will not be a closure before Christmas. But we will have a fifth wave: we have crossed a critical number of infections by Omicron“Lauterbach told the ARD broadcaster.” This wave can no longer be completely stopped. “
In another interview with BILD, Lauterbach added that he also does not expect a “hard lockdown” after the year-end vacation.
Germany banned unvaccinated people from entering non-essential facilities earlier this month, in an attempt to control the increase in cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant.
The government should make it clear to the public what would and would not be allowed during the Christmas season, Lauterbach said, without specifying what measures were under discussion.
Almost 70% of the population is fully vaccinated against the virus, according to data from December 17.
The country reported 29,348 new cases on Sunday and 180 deaths, according to the Instituto Robert Koch for infectious diseases. The number of new daily cases increased significantly in October and November, but has been declining slowly since the beginning of the month.
Lauterbach reiterated his call to make vaccination mandatory in the interview with ARD, a policy that Parliament will debate early next year and that the chancellor Olaf Scholz said he supports.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx