German health minister suggests cutting isolation as Omicron spreads

The isolation period for people who have caught the coronavirus in Germany could be cut shorter, under a proposal laid out by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach on Wednesday, as the country mulls how to respond to surging Omicron cases.

Under the proposal, which was developed together with the Robert Koch Institute for disease control, people self-isolating with the virus would be able to leave from day seven, provided they get a negative PCR test or "high-standard" antigen rapid test.

After 10 days, the isolation order would expire even without a test, according to the document, which has been seen by dpa.

The same rules would apply to those in quarantine after coming into contact with a confirmed case.

Key workers, such as health and care staff, could get out even sooner, with Lauterbach proposing a PCR test-to-release option for suspected cases from day five, or day seven for those known to have the virus. However, this would be under the condition that they were without symptoms for at least 48 hours.

For children, the quarantine period could be reduced to five days with a PCR or sufficient antigen test. The document, however, stresses the importance of wearing masks in schools.

The proposed rules would exempt certain people completely from quarantining if they have come into contact with an infected person, depending on their vaccination status. This would apply to those who have recently been vaccinated, either with their second jab or their third booster jab.

German health policy distinguishes between quarantine, for suspected cases, and isolation, for confirmed cases.

Under the current rules, people with the virus can end their isolation period 14 days after the onset of symptoms at the earliest. For those who have come into contact with someone with the virus, the local health authority determines the length and conditions of the quarantine period.

Currently, the rules are even stricter for people found to have caught Omicron. However, under Lauterbach's proposal, which was presented to state health ministers on Wednesday, these differences would be abolished.

Germany is facing a lack of comparable data on the coronavirus due to a lag in testing and reporting over the festive season.

However, it is clear that Omicron is gaining ground in the country and policymakers are discussing possible responses to an expected surge in cases, such as the proposed overhaul in quarantine and isolation rules.

The government believes that Omicron will become the dominant variant in Germany within a matter of days.

"At the moment, we assume an Omicron share of 25 per cent throughout Germany," a spokesperson for the Health Ministry said in Berlin on Wednesday. In some federal states, particularly in the north, Omicron is already dominant, he added.

On Wednesday, 58,912 new cases of coronavirus infection were reported and 346 deaths. A week ago, those figures stood at 40,043 and 414.

The vaccination campaign, and in particular the drive to get booster shots into people's arms, is considered a vital tool in curbing the impact of Omicron on Germany's health system and critical infrastructure.

The percentage of adults in Germany who have received a booster vaccine against the coronavirus has risen to 47.6 per cent, according to data released on Wednesday by the nation's disease control body.

So far, almost 33.4 million booster doses have been administered, including around 480,000 on Tuesday alone, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said.

Currently, 71.4 per cent of the entire German population have received the basic course of coronavirus vaccination, which for most people will have meant two jabs.

Some 74.3 per cent of the population have had at least one dose. The German government has set itself a goal of reaching 80 per cent by the end of January, after postponing its original target date of January 7.