In the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, as many as possible should be won for vaccinations – and appointments are no longer so tight. To make things easier for some, unusual campaigns are now also planned on site.
In view of the decreasing demand for corona vaccinations in Germany, several federal states are preparing new, simpler offers for those who have not yet made up their minds. Actions are planned, among other things, in parking lots, at events, in town houses, churches and mosques or in job centers, as the responsible ministries said. The aim is to provide additional, uncomplicated vaccination opportunities without having to worry about appointments in practices and vaccination centers – even there, appointments are often easier to get after months of waiting, as several countries emphasize.
The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach called for creative solutions. “Where the young people are, it must be possible for them to be vaccinated, with mobile vaccination teams, without any effort,” he said on Thursday evening in the ZDF program “Maybrit Illner”. Lauterbach mentioned shisha bars and nightlife areas. The president of the social association VdK, Verena Bentele, suggested in the editorial network Germany to set up mobile vaccination stations in supermarkets and pedestrian zones.
The federal states are planning these coronavirus vaccinations
Nationwide, the rush for vaccinations has decreased somewhat. In some cases, authorities point to the vacation period that has begun or that many determined people have already been vaccinated. An overview of some ideas for boosting vaccinations in the field:
In Brandenburg the Ministry of Health wants to start another vaccination campaign after the end of the summer holidays, which is to be aimed at younger people for the first time. “We want a paradigm shift: The vaccine should come to the people, not the people to the vaccine, as has been the case up to now,” said Ministry spokesman Dominik Lenz of the German press agency. The aim is uncomplicated offers: “Vaccination in parking lots, on the beach and at festivals, without an appointment,” said Lenz about the current considerations. One is in discussion with the municipalities.
In Hamburg mobile teams should move out for several actions, as a spokesman for the health authority of the dpa said. Vaccination offers are planned for up to 40,000 social benefit recipients from the end of July – appointments should be able to be made directly with the job center as usual, the vaccinations will then also take place close to home at the usual job center location. In parallel, vaccination offers are planned in community centers and, in further steps, in parent schools, churches or mosques. The aim is to reach people who are ready to be vaccinated, but who have not yet taken the initiative for appointments.
Completely “spontaneous” vaccination campaigns like those on marketplaces are currently not planned in Hamburg, explained the spokesman. “There should be a dignified framework for our offers and an appropriate anamnesis, information and documentation should take place – in particular to ensure that the second vaccination is carried out.” Bonuses for getting vaccinated are also currently not planned.
In Rhineland-Palatinate the use of vaccination buses is considered so that one can be vaccinated without registration, for example in marketplaces or in shopping streets. Health Minister Clemens Hoch (SPD) said on Thursday that this idea is still being examined. In addition, the Federal Employment Agency and the boards will look to see which actions are possible in their area. Probably from next week you should also be able to choose a vaccination center. So far, this has been linked to the place of residence. When registering, a traffic light system should show how long you have to wait for appointments in which center.
In Saxony-Anhalt Counties are already advertising with various campaigns, as a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Social Affairs said – from vaccinations in the shopping center to extended opening hours of the vaccination centers or vaccination days on which no booked appointment is necessary.
In Baden-Wuerttemberg said the Ministry of Social Affairs with a view to the vaccination centers: “Those who have not looked for appointments lately, now have good chances again.” Vaccination campaigns should also come in front of supermarkets or other central and easily accessible places, as Minister Manne Lucha (Greens) said of the “Stuttgarter Zeitung” and the “Stuttgarter Nachrichten” (Thursday).
In Schleswig-Holstein there are already vaccination offers at universities. Mobile teams also specifically vaccinated harvest workers, a ministry spokesman said. With “neighborhood vaccinations” in residential areas, people could also be vaccinated who otherwise might not. In so-called open house campaigns, you can also get vaccinated without an appointment in some vaccination centers. According to the ministry, vaccinations in pedestrian zones are not currently planned.
In Saxony various actors are to be invited to a vaccination summit on July 20th. State Chancellor Oliver Schenk (CDU) does not believe in restrictions against vaccinators, as he said in Dresden. Rather, they want to work with incentives, which is more promising. The German Red Cross (DRK) is currently investigating how many appointments were missed. So far, this could not be quantified validly, said a spokesman. There are many who reschedule appointments and then get vaccinated at another time or place. According to current estimates, around five percent of booked appointments expired.
In North Rhine-Westphalia According to Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU), 150,000 appointments are still free and 212,000 are assigned in the vaccination centers this week. “That means that people have absolutely no problem booking a vaccination appointment”. More than 300,000 appointments could be made next week. The situation is also easing for general practitioners and company doctors. For the first time, the availability of the vaccine no longer determines the amount of vaccinations.
In Thuringia offers such as a special student vaccination day were only used cautiously recently.
