BRUSSELS —

       European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that Omicron is expected to be the dominant coronavirus variant in the 27-nation bloc by mid-January, amid concerns that a dramatic rise of in infections will leave Europe shrouded in gloom during the festive season.

       The head of the EU’s executive branch said, however, that the bloc was well-prepared to fight the Omicron variant, with 66.6% of the EU’s population of about half a billion now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

       Von der Leyen said she was confident the EU has the “strength” and “means” to overcome the disease, although she expressed her disappointment that, once again, year-end celebrations will be disturbed by the pandemic.

       “Like many of you, I’m sad that once again this Christmas will be overshadowed by the pandemic,” Von der Leyen said.

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       The alarming rise of new infections has prompted further restrictions across Europe. The decision this week by Italy to require negative tests from vaccinated visitors has also raised concerns that such moves will limit free movement at a time when many EU citizens travel across national boundaries within the bloc to see their relatives and loved ones.

       Portugal adopted a similar measure Dec. 1, requiring a mandatory negative coronavirus test for all flights arriving in Portugal, even for people with health passes and regardless of their point of origin or nationality.

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       Von der Leyen said the EU was now facing a double challenge, with a massive increase of cases in recent weeks from the Delta variant combined with the rise of Omicron, as some member countries are already confronted with a record number of infections.

       “We’re seeing an increasing number of people falling ill, a greater burden on hospitals and, unfortunately, an increase in the number of deaths,” she told European lawmakers ahead of Thursday’s meeting of EU leaders in Brussels.

       Von der Leyen said the increase in infections at this point is a result “almost exclusively” of the Delta variant. But, she added, “what I’m concerned about is that we are now seeing the new variant, Omicron, on the horizon, which is apparently even more infectious.”

       In Britain, Omicron cases are doubling every two to three days, and Von der Leyen said the new variant seems to be spreading at the same rate in the EU. According to an analysis Tuesday of data from South Africa, where the new variant is driving a surge in infections, Omicron seems to be more easily spread from person to person and better at evading vaccines, but also milder in its effects.

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       Thanks to the high rate of vaccination in the bloc and the availability of vaccine doses, Von der Leyen said that Europe was now in a better position to fight the virus. She said that more than 300 million people in the EU have been fully vaccinated and that 62 million people have received a booster shot.

       “Initial data from Omicron shows us that this triple jab is the best protection against the new variant,” she said.

       She also said it was worth continuing to fight vaccine skepticism, especially in member states lagging behind in their immunization rates.

       “The price that we will pay if people are not vaccinated continues to increase,” she said. “It’s also a problem for our elderly citizens who once again this Christmas can’t see their grandchildren. And it’s also a problem for those children who once again can’t go to school. What kind of a life is that?”

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       Echoing Von der Leyen’s comments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz vowed Wednesday that his new government would do everything for Germany to overcome the pandemic and let people return to their normal lives.

       “We have no time to waste,” said Scholz, who took office as Germany grapples with its biggest wave of infections during the pandemic to date.

       Scholz also said that the government would not tolerate a “tiny minority” of extremists trying to undermine coronavirus policies.

       As governments brace for the holiday season, Greece and a handful of other EU countries Wednesday began vaccinating children aged 5-11 against COVID-19. Italy, Spain and Hungary are among the countries expanding the vaccination program to younger children as national agencies formally back the EU regulator’s approval last month of the reduced-dose vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech.