Parliament only last week adopted stricter pandemic measures, voting into force the 2G (vaccinated, recovered) CovidCheck for leisure activities and the 3G regime for the workplace, including daily testing for employees who aren’t vaccinated or recovered, from 15 January.

“We don’t want to waste any time,” said prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP) during a press conference on Wednesday. “It’s important that we are cautious.”

Under the proposed measures, hospitality sector businesses will have to close at 11pm. And people who have not yet received a booster jab will need to take a rapid antigen test on top of their vaccination or recovery certificate, the so-called 2G+ system.

Gatherings of more than 10 people for leisure activities must take place under 2G rules. From 20 people, 2G+ rules will be enforced. The test can be avoided if distancing and mask mandates are implemented. Gatherings of more than 200 people can take place only with a health concept agreed with authorities. This will result in clubs shutting their doors, cancellations of parties and changes for concert and theatre venues.

The cabinet gathered for an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, convening members of parliament for Wednesday morning. The Chamber of Deputies wasn’t supposed to meet for a plenary session until January, but will have to gather to approve the new restrictions. This could happen as early as Friday, Bettel said, for measures to come into effect on 25 December.

The measures will remain in place until the end of February 2022 unless further changes become necessary. Pandemic business aid will be increased for December, January and February, the prime minister said.

Protecting healthcare staff

“We want to prevent the situation from getting out of hand,” Bettel said. So far, only five omicron cases have been detected in Luxembourg, said health minister Paulette Lenert (LSAP), but findings from other countries have shown that this could rapidly increase, as cases double every three to four days.

A study by the Imperial College in London last week said omicron is five times more likely to cause reinfection with “no evidence” that the variant causes milder infection than the delta variant.

As of 16 December, the omicron variant has been found in 89 countries, the World Health Organization said in a technical briefing. “It is spreading significantly faster than the delta variant,” the WHO said, adding that “more data are needed to understand the severity profile.”

Even if the variant produces symptoms less severe or similar to that of delta, its rapid spread risks overwhelming hospitals as more people will require care, the WHO said. “They are incredibly tired,” Lenert said of healthcare sector staff who have been on the frontlines of the pandemic since March 2020.

“When more people become infected, more people get sick and must be in quarantine,” said Bettel, adding that in the UK the healthcare sector, schools and other essential services risk collapse because of staff illness.

Both ministers appealed for solidarity, asking people to limit their interactions over the holidays and be cautious, for example carrying out rapid tests before meeting with family. “The best plan is for everyone to hit the brakes,” said Lenert.

Early studies indicate that a regular vaccination schedule offers little to no protection from the new variant. A booster shot with Pfizer/Biontech offers 70-75% protection from infection and early data from Moderna looks promising.

An omicron-specific vaccine could be ready by spring next year, manufacturers have said. Israel on Tuesday said it is preparing a fourth vaccine jab for over-60s, frontline workers and other vulnerable groups, who are at high risk of infection.

Masks in schools, vaccination of children

When children return to school after the Christmas break, mask mandates will return for pupils and teachers, Bettel announced. In addition, vaccinations will open for all children aged 5 or over, after previously being limited to vulnerable children or those living with an at-risk person.

On Tuesday evening, the health ministry reported 229 new cases, with 7.17% of tests carried out coming back positive. The reproductive rate was at 1.03, above a target threshold of 1. There were 70 people being treated in hospital for complications from a coronavirus infection, including 19 in intensive care.

More than 900 people have died after testing positive for Sars-CoV-2, a number that has been rising more rapidly in recent weeks, with 25 deaths since the start of the month.

“We don’t rule anything out anymore,” said Lenert about the possibility of making vaccination mandatory, for example for healthcare workers. But emotions are running high in this debate, the health minister said, adding that she would like for the situation to calm down.

Protests against the CovidCheck regime and pandemic restrictions have been held in the capital for weeks. During altercations with police more than 20 people were arrested over the last two weekends. “We must take a decision by mid-January,” Bettel said.

Luxembourg is expecting a delivery of 30,000 doses of the Novavax vaccine, which was approved by the European Medicines Agency this week. The government is waiting on an opinion by an infectious diseases council on its use. 

Countries across Europe have been tightening restrictions in response to the threat of omicron and rising infection numbers. Germany from 28 December is limiting gatherings to 10 people for those who are vaccinated. An unvaccinated household will only be able to meet with two other people. Clubs will be closed while restaurants and other venues remain open under a 2G or 2G+ regime.

The Netherlands entered a strict lockdown on Sunday with non-essential shops, bars, gyms, hairdressers and other public venues closed until at least mid-January. Restaurants can offer takeout only. Two guests per household are allowed, four over the holidays. Schools will be closed until at least 9 January.

The Belgian government is considering new measures on Wednesday, after previously imposing an 11pm curfew for the hospitality sector, introducing a mask mandate for children, sending people into remote work and significantly limiting indoor gatherings. France has so far avoided additional measures but is debating introducing its health pass in the workplace and tightening access to leisure activities, such as eating out, for the unvaccinated.