Pharmacies in Germany should be able to start offering vaccinations against COVID-19 within as little as two weeks, following an amendment to the vaccination law. 

Pharmacies in Germany offering vaccinations within two weeks

Following a change to Germany’s Infection Protection Act, pharmacists across the country will soon be able to administer COVID vaccines for the first time. “It will still take about one to two weeks for vaccinations to start in the pharmacies,” said Thomas Preis, a board member of the German Pharmacists’ Association. “The pharmacies must now first order vaccines.” 

Preis said that interest from pharmacies in his own region of the Rhineland had been “very high”, with around 1.000 pharmacists from 500 pharmacies expressing willingness to carry out vaccinations. “They have already been trained in flu vaccinations. We expect another 1.000 pharmacists to be trained by February,” he said. 

Pharmacists to receive training to administer COVID jabs

Thomas Benkert, the president of the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists, explained that a COVID-19 vaccination training course had been put together, in partnership with the German Medical Association, to train up professionals who want to take part in the vaccination drive. The course consists of six units of theoretical training and four units of practical training led by a doctor. All vaccinating pharmacists must also be trained first aiders.

Back in December, Germany amended its laws to enable other professionals like pharmacists, dentists and vets to carry out jabs. Up until now, the country’s vaccination rollout has been primarily driven by mass vaccination centres and local GP surgeries.