Warning of the German Minister of Health for the increase of cases

“The situation is objectively much worse than the mood,” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach warned, but defended the easing of restrictions imposed by the ruling coalition on March 20.

“The situation in Germany is critical and should not be underestimated. And of course the pandemic is not over,” Lauterbach said, referring to the continuing rise in coronavirus cases and noting that a return to action is not ruled out if conditions so require. “Every day 200-250 people die from coronavirus. And that number will increase in the coming weeks,” the health minister and professor of epidemiology told a news conference, explaining in a stern tone that “Omicron only causes mild illness, as the unvaccinated can even die, while the vaccinated can become seriously ill and develop long-term symptoms.”

The minister called on the states, which will henceforth have to decide where the use of the mask is mandatory and when a diagnostic test or even mandatory vaccination is required, to “stop the criticism and prepare for the implementation” of the measures, referring mainly to in the provision for stricter rules in areas to be classified as “hotspots”. These rules could affect an entire state, if necessary, the health minister said, stressing that mandatory vaccination against Covid-19 is absolutely necessary “in order to avoid new, broader restrictions” in the autumn.

The head of the Robert Koch Institute, Lothar Wheeler, in the same press conference, drew attention to the increase in hospital admissions, but also to the high transmissibility of the “Omicron” sub-variant, BA.2. “These are the results of the gradual easing of control measures and the corresponding change in human behavior,” he explained, reiterating his call for vaccination. “Many serious incidents, deaths and long-term consequences could have been avoided with vaccination. Vaccination was and remains the best and safest way to immunity,” Wheeler said.

Source: AMPE