Germany facing 'massive fifth wave' of COVID cases due to Omicron spread

Germany’s health minister Karl Lauterbach on Friday warned of a “massive fifth wave” of COVID-19 cases caused by the arrival of the Omicron variant which was first detected in South Africa in November. During a press conference in Hanover, as per a report by The Local, Lauterbach said that “We must prepare for a challenge that we have not yet had in this form” and added that even if the variant were “milder” it might make “no difference”.

According to the German health minister, the situation is still “underestimated”. Additionally, Lauterbach also reportedly said that Germany is monitoring the situation in the UK where the Omicron has not only spread widely but British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently confirmed that the new variant caused at least one death in England. German health minister even informed that experts in the UK have alerted him that they have not seen a situation develop like the present one throughout the COVID-19 pandemic so far.

Spread of Omicron in Germany 'cannot be prevented'

Lauterbach surrendered and said that the spread of Omicronin Germany 'can not be prevented' anymore. German media outlets also stated that experts have estimated that there are already hundreds of cases of the new variant in the European nation. He noted that it still remains unclear if the Omicron variant of Coronavirus causes a mild infection than the previously known strains. However, he added that even if infections are not severe, the variant still poses threat due to the drastic number of infections happening at the same time. 

Lauterbach said, “It would perhaps keep the number of deaths low for two or three weeks. But then the growth of cases would take over this advantage” adding that it would be a “great challenge” for hospitals and intensive care units in the country as a whole. He said that the Omicron variant’s spread in Germany “cannot be brought under control” by just two doses of vaccine. Therefore, the media outlet further quoted him as saying, “We must not lull ourselves into a false sense of security” calling the citizens to take part in a “massive booster campaign” with an aim of “boosting several million people per week”.

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