German health minister expects "massive" fifth coronavirus wave

Karl Lauterbach

BERLIN, Dec 17 (Reuters) - German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, a former epidemiology professor famed for his bearish COVID-19 forecasts, said he expected the omicron variant of the coronavirus to unleash a "massive fifth wave" of the pandemic.

He added during a visit to the region of Lower Saxony that Germany had to prepare for a challenge "that we have never seen in this form before".