Germany: New measures are coming in to tackle the Omicron mutation

German Chancellor Olaf Soltz will meet with German Chancellors on Friday to agree on new measures to tackle the highly contagious Omicron mutation in the coronavirus, including tighter restrictions on restaurants and bars, Reuters reported.

Among the measures being considered is the requirement for people who have been vaccinated with two doses of coronavirus to show a negative test to enter a restaurant or bar, in an effort to encourage more people to take the booster dose.

Health Minister Carl Lauterbach said the hospitality industry was a “problem area, as people often sit there for hours without a mask”, in an interview with RTL Direkt on Thursday.

Hendrik Vust, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, told the Welt news agency that stricter restaurant rules make sense, as the presence of unmasked people requires maximum protection and safeguards. to everyone.

Meanwhile, quarantine rules will also be relaxed to avoid isolating many people at the same time, especially in critical areas.

The Omicron strain now accounts for 44% of coronavirus infections in Germany, the Robert Koch Institute said in its weekly report.

He reported that 41.6% of people had received the booster vaccine.