During an interview with RTL on Tuesday evening, doctor Gérard Schockmel said it was important to not just look at infection numbers, but keep an eye on the situation in hospitals and not to lose nuances.
For instance, it matters whether Covid patients are hospitalised with the virus or because of it, whether they are vaccinated and how long they have to stay in hospital, whether they need intensive care and are put on ventilators. These are all data points that are becoming very important.
Around 72 percent of the population is now vaccinated, leading to some worry in government. Deputy PM François Bausch expressed his concern about the stagnating vaccination rate Monday on RTL radio.
According to doctor Schockmel, these worries are somewhat justified, especially in light of the Delta variant, which is currently dominant in Luxembourg. The goal should be a vaccination rate of around 85 percent.
A third jab for everyone is not currently necessary, says the expert, but adds that it might be worth considering for older people, depending on vulnerability. A third shot for the entire population would become necessary if fully vaccinated people were no longer protected from severe cases of Covid-19.
