BERLIN – Almost 9,000 people in the municipality of Schortens in northern Germany could have received saline instead of a Covid-19 vaccine, the county of Friesland said yesterday.
At the end of April, it was revealed that an employee at a vaccination centre had filled at least six syringes with saline solution instead of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Xinhua said.
Further investigations by police suggested “that these are not isolated cases,” Friesland district administrator Sven Ambrosy said. “Unfortunately, we have to consider the possibility that many more people are affected.”
Police said that the suspect, who was subsequently dismissed, had shared conspiracy content on social media, and was critical of public health measures.
“In this unclear situation, it is important that all those who may have been affected are offered catch-up vaccinations in a timely manner,” said Matthias Pulz, president of the Lower Saxony Health Office.
“This is the only way to safely ensure complete vaccination protection.”
As of yesterday, more than 45.8 million people in Germany were fully vaccinated, bringing the country’s vaccination rate to 55.1%, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
Meanwhile, Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday announced that Covid-19 tests in Germany will no longer be free for unvaccinated people.
“As we are now in a position to offer vaccination for the entire population in Germany, we will be ending free tests on October 11,” Merkel said at a news conference in Berlin, following a meeting with premiers of federal states.
According to Anadolu Agency, Merkel urged Germans to get vaccinated amid a rise in new infections and said authorities may soon require proof of vaccination, recovery from Covid-19 or a negative test for visiting enclosed spaces, like hospitals, restaurants or fitness studios, if the seven-day incidence rate rises above 35 per 100,000 population.
According to the conclusions of the meeting, after October 11, those who have decided against vaccination would have to pay for tests.
Free testing will be offered only to those who cannot get the vaccine because of health conditions as well as to pregnant women, children and people under the age of 18.
In most federal states, testing is currently required to attend large-scale business, culture or sports events.
In some cities, it is also required to visit museums, movie theatres or concert halls.
City governments can also impose stricter rules if infections rise and can require testing for customers at indoor restaurants, bars and cafes, unless patrons can show proof of vaccination. – Bernama, August 11, 2021
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