Berlin, Dec. 21 (BNA): Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has raised its risk assessment for the population in light of the Omicron variable, as even fully vaccinated people in Germany are now considered to be at high risk of contracting coronavirus, it tweeted on Monday.
For the unvaccinated, the risk remained “very high”, while the infectious disease agency estimated the risk to be medium, for those who were vaccinated and received a booster dose.
Overall, the risks to the population were rated “very high,” the institute wrote in its revised risk assessment, which included warnings of a possible sudden increase in the number of cases and rapid overcrowding of medical facilities.
For example, officials in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern reported Monday that they are out of beds in intensive care units.
Also in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on Monday, demonstrations in the cities of Schwerin and Rostock against coronavirus restrictions and proposals to make vaccination mandatory drew large crowds.
In Rostock alone, police estimated that the crowd was more than 10,000 individuals at its height, while the march in Schwerin grew significantly from 2,500 demonstrators initially. Police said no masks were worn and social distancing was not maintained on any of the occasions.
There was also a smaller protest in Saxony.
German politicians at the federal and state levels are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss how best to deal with the fifth wave of coronavirus and the Omicron variant.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said during a visit to Italy on Monday that he expects to reach an agreement with the German state’s prime ministers during the meeting on imposing further communication restrictions.
Federal government consultations are scheduled short over the weekend in light of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant across Germany.
In its first statement, Germany’s Novel Coronavirus Expert Council warned that Omicron posed a threat to fully vaccinated people as well as those who had recovered from Covid-19, adding that Germany faced a “new dimension” of the pandemic and called for urgent implementation of new restrictions to tackle its spread.
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck has said he expects Covid restrictions to be tightened in the new year, while the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik West, has warned Germans against New Year’s Eve parties.
West, who will chair Tuesday’s meeting, said federal and state governments should put in place contingency plans to ensure that police and fire brigades as well as electricity and water supplies can continue to operate even when infection levels are high.
“We’re going to have to talk about how to keep our country running when more people are infected or quarantined,” he said.
A meeting of federal and state leaders in Germany is also set to consider restrictions on contact for people who have been vaccinated and recovered after Christmas, limiting private gatherings to 10 people from December 28.
The rules will also impose a maximum of 10 people on private gatherings indoors and outdoors. Children up to 14 years of age will be exempted.
According to official figures released on Monday, at least 70.3 percent of Germany’s total population has been fully vaccinated. And at least 26.2 million – 31.5 percent of the total – have received a booster vaccine.
Germany’s infection rates rose slightly on Monday, after weeks of lower numbers. The infection rate in seven days was 316 cases, compared to 315.4 the day before and 389.2 a week ago. Health authorities said about 116 people have died in the past 24 hours due to Covid-19.
MI