Lauterbach in Hanover: Omikron wave will surpass everything | NDR.de – Nachrichten – Lower Saxony
Status: December 17, 2021 2:53 p.m.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) warned of the danger of the Omikron variant of the corona virus during a visit to Hanover. He is assuming a massive fifth wave.
Heard from colleagues in England that the spread of the Omikron variant “exceeds everything that has been observed in the entire pandemic,” said Lauterbach at a press conference with Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD). He assumes that the wave cannot be prevented in Germany either. There is an enormous challenge ahead for hospitals, intensive care units and society as a whole.
Enough moderna vaccine available for boosting
The aim is to slow the spread and use the time for booster vaccinations – especially to protect the vulnerable groups, according to Lauterbach. “The only thing that reliably protects against a severe course of the Omicron infection is the booster vaccination,” he emphasized. Above all, there is sufficient vaccine available from Moderna. The Federal Minister of Health appealed to all doctors to order and vaccinate this vaccine. He made it clear that the Spikevax vaccine worked as well as the Comirnaty vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer. According to Lauterbach, the company is working on the procurement of further Biontech cans. Sufficient Biontech vaccine is currently available for children up to the age of eleven.
Lauterbach vaccinated two children in the vaccination center at the zoo
Lauterbach had previously carried out the children’s vaccine himself during a visit to the vaccination center at the zoo in Hanover. In the vaccination center, children from the age of five have also been vaccinated against Corona since Wednesday. When asked about the demonstrators who greeted him with whistles and boos in front of the zoo, Lauterbach said: That is part of his job. In view of the children dying who wanted to make their contribution to overcoming the pandemic with their vaccination, it is dismaying that people demonstrated in front of it and spread conspiracy myths.
2G rule overturned in retail: hearing before OVG planned
With a view to the expected wave of Omikron, Lauterbach was surprised by the decision of the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) Lüneburg to overturn the 2G rule in retail. That would make no epidemiological or health policy sense. Prime Minister Weil noted that Lower Saxony Nun is the only country in which unvaccinated people can shop again. The Ministry of Social Affairs will apply for a hearing before the OVG and suggest that leading scientists be heard. He hopes they can better convey “the risk we are facing” to the judges, Weil said. He warned: “If we are not careful, the Omicron variant will be faster than we can be vaccinating.”
Meeting with the head of the crisis team from the federal government in the afternoon
This afternoon there is another important meeting for Weil and Health Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD): The head of the federal government’s new Corona crisis team, Major General Carsten Breuer, will be a guest at the Lower Saxony State Chancellery. The three interviewees then want to talk about the cooperation between the federal government and Lower Saxony as well as about the current situation.
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