Germany’s health minister has announced that the country should be able to start vaccinating people against the coronavirus in the first quarter of 2021. It was also announced that taking the vaccination would be voluntary.

Vaccination just months away

Jens Spahn, Germany’s Federal Minister of Health, announced on Monday that Germany should be able to start immunising people against the coronavirus in the first three months of 2021. Speaking via video to the Ifo Institute for Economic Research Spahn said, “As things stand today, October 12, I assume we would be able to start in the first quarter of next year.”

Germany is investing millions of euros into medical research companies to try and speed up development since the country has yet to develop a vaccine. Despite this, authorities have already planned to start with inoculating people who have been designated “high-risk” like people working in healthcare, the elderly and those suffering from pre-existing medical conditions. Spahn revealed that taking the vaccine would be voluntary.

Spahn also mentioned that there should be no worries about shortages, pointing to the efforts of other countries around the world racing to deliver a vaccine. “If all horses reach the finish line, we will have way too much vaccine,” he said.