Coronavirus: Merkel uses final podcast episode to urge Germans to get vaccinated
- The outgoing chancellor said the new Omicron variant appeared to be more infectious and Germans must take the virus seriously, with 64,510 new daily cases reported
- Meanwhile, the Social Democrats, which narrowly won a federal election in September, voted to back a coalition agreement with the Greens and Free Democrats
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday urged Germans to get vaccinated against Covid-19, speaking days ahead of leaving office in the final episode of more than 600 weekly video podcasts.
“I once again emphatically ask you to take this tricky virus seriously,” Merkel said, calling the fourth coronavirus wave to hit Germany “very serious” and even “dramatic”, with intensive care units overloaded in some parts of the country.
“The new Omicron variant in particular seems to be even more infectious than those that came before. Get yourself vaccinated, whether it’s your first shot or a booster,” she added. “Every vaccine helps.”
In her podcast, she thanked “those who are reasonable and understanding in this difficult period” and “stick to the rules to protect themselves and take care of others”.
“You are the vast majority in our country. You demonstrate the civic responsibility that’s so marvellous about our country, without which no chancellor or government can achieve anything.”
One of Scholz’s first steps as head of government is expected to be passing a law to make vaccination compulsory from February or March next year. Most of the political spectrum has rallied behind the previously controversial move.