German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said on Wednesday (Dec. 22) that a fourth COVID-19 shot will be necessary due to the Omicron variant.
Additionally, Lauterbach announced that Germany has already ordered 80 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine made by BioNTech specifically targeting Omicron and should arrive in April or May.
“An offensive booster campaign is our most important building block in the fight against Omicron,” the health minister said.
Lauterbach threw his support behind a general COVID-19 vaccine mandate, saying that without one, it would not be possible to manage coming waves of infection over the long term.
Germany considering 4th shot: Order of 80 million doses placed with Pfizer BioNtech for Omicron specific vaccine, expected May 2022https://t.co/K90ayL8Y6R pic.twitter.com/yAMJShoDVs
— Gyan Chakshu (@gyan_chakshu) December 23, 2021
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has set his government the ambitious target of achieving a coronavirus vaccination rate in Germany of 80 per cent by January 7 https://t.co/PKtUBugT92
— dpa news agency (@dpa_intl) December 22, 2021
Britain to consider fourth Covid vaccination as Israel and Germany press ahead with second booster https://t.co/76IHswt1wH
— True North, no longer strong and free (@Charlottewoodvi) December 23, 2021