The pace of vaccination in Germany continues to decrease. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on February 4, 74.4 percent of people – that is 61.8 million – had received two vaccinations by then, i.e. basic protection. According to the information, 45.1 million people received a third so-called booster vaccination, that is 54.2 percent. 75.9 percent of the population (63.2 million) received at least one vaccine dose. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s (SPD) goal of vaccinating 80 percent of the population against Corona at least once by the end of January was missed by a wide margin at the beginning of the week.
The Berlin numbers are a bit better (77 percent have been vaccinated once, 55 percent have been boosted), but the result is the same: the Senate’s self-imposed goal was not achieved. The Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) had targeted the 80 percent mark for the end of January, like the federal government.
Burkhardt Ruppert, head of the Berlin Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, always had doubts that 80 percent could be achieved. He advises a sober and yet precise look. “I see extremely good figures for Berlin,” says Ruppert. 86.4 percent of all over-18s were vaccinated at least once, and 91.4 percent of those over 60 were vaccinated twice. “These are almost numbers like the basic immunization for infants,” says Ruppert, who has been working as a pediatrician for three decades.
The greatest need to catch up is among the under-18s. In this population group, 40.4 percent are vaccinated in Berlin, and the trend is rising. The comparatively low rate can be explained primarily by two circumstances: Children and young people fall ill – not just since the Omicron variant – if so, then rather mildly from Corona. That is why the Standing Vaccination Committee of the RKI was only very hesitant to make a vaccination recommendation.
Physicians focus on boosters
For Ruppert, the figures show one thing above all: “The population has understood it.” The willingness to vaccinate is high even among skeptics. So his main focus is now less on convincing the last of the unvaccinated. Instead, the boosters must be advanced quickly to close the gap. Especially in times of the rapidly spreading omicron variant, it is important to protect the particularly vulnerable population groups with a third vaccination. Ruppert’s goal: 600,000 boosters in February. For comparison: In January 300,000 third-party vaccinations were given, in December 2021 there were 500,000. The majority of it should be given in practices, because, according to Ruppert: “The majority of people are vaccinated where they are always vaccinated.”
Nevertheless, the first pharmacies in Berlin will also be offering corona vaccinations from Tuesday. However, there were initially only a few, as the spokesman for the pharmacist association, Stefan Schmidt, says. “As a rule, pharmacies do not yet have rooms that are suitable for vaccinations.” It remains to be seen whether a conversion of premises would be appropriate and sensible. Schmidt pointed out that the demand for vaccinations is relatively low at the moment.
Politicians want to achieve more primary vaccinations
While doctors rate the vaccination rate rather positively and pharmacists speak of relatively low demand, the Senate continues to strive to at least approach the 80 percent rate. Health Senator Ulrike Gote (Greens) announces a new campaign. Berlin has a wide range of vaccinations, which one wants to “further diversify through cooperation with the districts in order to reach as many Berliners as possible”.
In January, public authorities carried out a total of 57,000 initial vaccinations, almost 6,000 of which were administered by the health administration’s mobile vaccination teams, it said. During outreach vaccinations, more than 700 people, mainly children, were given their first vaccinations in January, including in the Horizonte family center in the Märkisches Viertel, in the Gropiusstadt community center, in the House of Sports in Marzahn-Hellersdorf or in the home church and in a refugee shelter in Steglitz-Zehlendorf.
In Lichtenberg, vaccinations are now being given next to a furniture store
The next thing to do is district vaccination in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, and another vaccination campaign in Reinickendorf is also planned for February. A vaccination drive-in will open in Lichtenberg on Thursday, on an open-air site next to a furniture store.
A vaccination team commissioned by the social administration is also continuing its work. In the coming days and weeks there will be appointments in job centers, district centers, youth associations and neighborhood offices.
The end of school vaccinations
On the other hand, the vaccination of five to eleven-year-old children in schools, which was initiated by the previous Senate and only started in December, was stopped. A spokeswoman for Health Senator Gote said it had been concluded that schools were not the appropriate places to vaccinate. In addition, effort and income are not in a good relationship.