The omicron wave could possibly be less devastating than currently predicted by the most pessimistic scenarios. However, this can only succeed if a large part of the population adapts its behavior to the epidemic situation beyond the current rules, as it has been done in previous waves. A team led by Viola Priesemann, a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization and the University of Göttingen, has for the first time used model calculations to precisely examine the interplay between mandatory and voluntary measures to contain the corona epidemic. This allows them to understand how the contact restrictions currently in place could break the delta wave. However, it is still unclear what measures will be needed in light of the omicron wave.