After a sluggish start, Germany’s vaccine rollout is gradually beginning to pick up pace - and things look set to move even more quickly soon. According to a media report, the country’s vaccine priority list could be lifted as early as May, meaning vaccinations would be available to everyone. 

German government could abandon priority list by May

The strict allocation of vaccines against COVID-19 according to the government’s priority list could be abandoned by late May or early June. This was reported by Bild on Wednesday, citing internal discussions between the federal government and the heads of the state chancelleries. The topic will be on the agenda at the next federal and state vaccination summit, scheduled for next Monday. 

Apparently, the federal government is expecting such a high number of vaccine deliveries by this time that the priority list would no longer be necessary. Head of the Chancellery, Helge Braun, confirmed to Bild that the priority list could presumably be done away with from “the end of May” or the “beginning of June”. 

After this date, all adults in Germany who wish to be vaccinated would be able to get an appointment. With the exception of the BioNTech / Pfizer vaccine, which is already approved for ages 16 and up, all other vaccines are currently only allowed to be administered to people over the age of 18. 

One in three to have received first vaccine dose by May

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn already announced last week that “towards summer” the federal republic would be able to abandon prioritisation altogether and that at least one in every three people would have received their first vaccine by May. 

Three federal states have already lifted the vaccine priority list for the AstraZeneca vaccine, with health ministers in the states of Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony announcing that the vaccine is now available for all age groups.