Germany is experiencing a rapid increase in Covid-19 cases, with the seven-day incidence rate of new infections rising from 331.8 on Monday to 447.3 on Tuesday. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 105,840 new cases and 107 deaths from Covid-19 during this period. The Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 have seen significant growth, with their share of cases doubling. BA.4 accounted for 2.1% of cases, while BA.5 accounted for 10%. In response to the pandemic’s trajectory, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is recommending that people voluntarily wear masks indoors. Lauterbach believes that a fourth vaccine dose and indoor mask-wearing are the best remedies.
Numerous studies have shown that masks can prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections and do not impair physical or mental performance. Lauterbach, along with the Health Ministers of Rheinland-Pfalz and Hessen, is advocating for vaccinations as a highly effective tool in preventing severe illness and death. They believe that vaccinations are among the most successful preventive measures in medicine and that routine vaccine passport checks at doctors’ offices are necessary. They also anticipate that vaccines adapted to the Omicron variant will receive approval in September 2022, pending the results of clinical trials.
In light of the Covid-19 summer wave, Lauterbach is urging the public to wear masks indoors voluntarily. He notes that a summer wave was expected and that a fourth vaccine dose and indoor mask-wearing are the best countermeasures. Lauterbach’s views are shared by other health officials who advocate for vaccinations as a highly effective tool in preventing severe illness and death. They believe that routine vaccine passport checks at doctors’ offices are necessary and anticipate that vaccines adapted to the Omicron variant will receive approval in September 2022, pending the results of clinical trials. Numerous studies have shown that masks can prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections and do not impair physical or mental performance.
