Germany is facing a new wave of Covid-19, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced on Wednesday June 15, urging those most at risk to take a fourth dose of the vaccine. “Unfortunately, the wave announced for the summer has become reality,” Karl Lauterbach told the daily newspaper “Rheinische Post”. “That means less slack for the next few weeks.”
Also read Big Business #92: The End of the Covid Bubble
While the number of Covid-19 infections had declined in May and Germany had abandoned most of its social distancing measures in the spring, the number of new infections is now rising rapidly. 92,344 new cases were registered within 24 hours, according to figures published on Wednesday by the Robert Koch Health Monitoring Institute. The seven-day incidence of the virus in Germany is 472.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The number of intensive care patients admitted as inpatients is also increasing, but remains significantly lower than at the beginning of the year.
The restrictions were relaxed in March
“Since the current variant of the virus is very easily transmissible and almost all precautionary measures have expired, the arrival of summer this year has less of an impact” in order to reduce the spread of Covid-19, explained the health minister. Karl Lauterbach recommended older or sick people a booster vaccination without waiting. “This does not completely protect against infection, but it helps prevent severe forms of the disease,” he argued. The minister also advised wearing a mask indoors.
Also readCovid: EMA launches accelerated review of modified version of Pfizer vaccine
Germany eased its restrictions from March, allowing unvaccinated people to return to restaurants and shops and ending the requirement to work from home. Wearing a mask is no longer compulsory in schools, offices and shops, but it is otherwise compulsory on public transport.
SEE ALSO – What do Covid-19 and monkeypox have in common?