Germany expecting surge of Omicron cases around New Year

Police officers speak to demonstrators at a protest against Covid restrictions in Munich (Lennart Preiss/dpa via AP)

Germany’s health minister said on Thursday that he expects a surge in coronavirus cases around New Year and that people will likely need a fourth vaccine shot to maintain the best immune response against Covid-19.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach told public radio network WDR 2 that Germany hasn’t yet seen a big, rapid wave of new infections from the omicron variant like some other European countries.