The highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus could result in millions of lost working hours. Companies and authorities therefore prepare for an emergency.
The Omikron variant is on the advance in Germany. According to the latest findings, this new variant of the coronavirus runs in most people milder than the Delta variant, but much more contagious *. Experts therefore already fear that millions of employees will be absent due to illness and thus the supply in certain areas could be jeopardized. Personnel bottlenecks would have devastating consequences, particularly in important sectors such as nursing and care for the elderly, in the police and fire brigade. But also with the so-called critical infrastructure such as electricity, water and internet.
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Omicron wave: Britain is taking initial precautions
In the UK, where Omikron is already the predominant variant of the virus, many companies report serious staff shortages. Too many employees are absent there at the same time because of a Covid disease. Fire departments and hospitals in London, according to media reports, the alarm was raised that they were facing an unprecedented shortage of staff. The British capital therefore already has the Disaster called out. This ensures that special emergency plans come into effect and that the units involved coordinate more closely. The first London hospitals are now shifting staff to intensive care units and emergency rooms, as reported by the newspaper “The Guardian”, according to dpa.
Also read: What employees have to consider when reporting a new sick leave.
This is how companies in Germany are preparing
These and similar reports from Great Britain are also causing concern in Germany. Virologist Christian Drosten tweeted days ago about the worrying reports from London and warned: “This is how it starts. Omikron will lead to massive sick leave. Also in essential professional groups.“According to calculations carried out by the experts for“ Spiegel ”, there could be up to three million loss of work at the same time in Germany.
This is how it starts. Omikron will lead to massive sick leave. Also in essential professional groups. https://t.co/7Ow5AnTDTI
– Christian Drosten (@c_drosten) December 17, 2021
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The chief economist of the Federal Association of Medium-Sized Enterprises, Hans-Jürgen Völz, explains Deutschlandfunkhow companies can prepare for Omikron. “Can do that for the first time Changes in production be or also in sales, that can also be a early vacation there are no limits to the creativity of the company in order to compensate and compensate for the failures that Omikron may have to face ”.
When it comes to the critical infrastructure, Germans don’t have to worry, says Kerstin Andreae, chairman of the executive board of the Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (bdew): “The companies have Plans, including quarantine in the companythat work can continue there. So in this respect I would like to claim that we can say: Even in spite of an Omikron risk, security of supply is guaranteed, ”she says Deutschlandfunk. For example, energy companies separate teams to prevent contamination and avoid entire units having to be quarantined, according to the report. Contingency plans it is said that sufficient space and FFP2 masks are mandatory when the shift is handed over.
Other companies are also keeping an eye on the Omikron situation and are taking appropriate precautions. At the request of Deutschlandfunk, for example, the expected food industry no major supply difficulties, at most minor stoppages in production in some places, should there be massive absences from work. Other production companies, on the other hand, are already seeing difficulties. And also In the health sector, failures cannot be compensated for. There has been a shortage of staff there for some time, even without Omikron. Only recently, a facility-related vaccination requirement in the care sector was decided for this professional group. After all, nursing staff should soon receive a corona bonus.(as) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
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