COVID-19 infection risk in Germany remains high despite falling cases

A passenger wearing a face mask gets off an S-Bahn train in Berlin, capital of Germany, April 1, 2022. (Photo by Stefan Zeitz/Xinhua)

In the coming weeks, Germany’s Robert Koch Institute expects to see continued high numbers of hospitalizations, both COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care and fatalities from the disease, particularly in the older age groups.

BERLIN, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) — The number of daily COVID-19 infections in Germany continues to fall, but the infection risk remains high, the country’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases said on Friday.

This week, 46,724 new infections were registered, around 3,000 less than one week ago, RKI said in its weekly report. However, it warned: “Despite the decline in case numbers, the infection risk for the general population remains high for all age groups.” The associated burden on the healthcare system also remains high, “even though the operating situation has improved slightly in the past week.”

In the coming weeks, RKI expects to see continued high numbers of hospitalizations, both COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care and fatalities from the disease, particularly in the older age groups.

Passengers are seen at a subway station in Berlin, Germany, on July 21, 2022. (Photo by Stefan Zeitz/Xinhua)

Vaccination remains important as it protects against severe forms of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant, RKI underlined. Unvaccinated persons of all age groups have a “significantly higher risk of a severe COVID-19 case,” it said.

The more contagious Omicron variants caused a summer wave in Germany that peaked in July. The Omicron BA.5 subvariant, which became dominant in mid-June, has almost completely displaced other variants, now accounting for 95 percent of cases. ,

German vaccine developer BioNTech announced earlier this month it would be able to deliver its COVID-19 vaccines adapted to the Omicron BA.1 and BA.4/5 subvariants in time for fall booster campaigns if given regulatory approval.

Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach told German news portal t-online on Friday that enough vaccines adapted to the Omicron variants had been ordered for all citizens. However, elderly or vulnerable people should not wait for the latest vaccines before getting a booster shot, he added.

Passengers wearing face masks are seen at a subway station in Berlin, Germany, on July 21, 2022. (Photo by Stefan Zeitz/Xinhua)

Of the 69.4 million adults in Germany aged 18 or over, 85.3 percent are vaccinated against COVID-19. More than 72 percent have received one booster vaccination, while around 10 percent have received two booster shots, according to official figures. ■