The vaccination rate has slowed in Germany in recent weeks. In a bid to boost uptake, the federal government is planning a targeted “vaccine action week” (Impfaktionswoche) to reach those who still haven’t had their jabs. 

#HierWirdGeimpft campaign starts next Monday

Between September 13 and 19, the vaccine action week will see venues up and down the country offering easy and spontaneous access to vaccines against COVID-19. Under the motto #HierWirdGeimpft (vaccinate here), sports clubs, fire brigade departments, multigenerational houses and pharmacies, among others, will open their doors to offer vaccines in an uncomplicated manner. 

You can find a list of all participating venues on the accompanying website www.hierwirdgeimpft.de, which comes complete with a map. 

Vaccination rate in Germany too low to get through winter

Currently, around 61,7 percent of the German population is fully vaccinated, but health experts say that coverage will not be enough to get through the winter, especially with the highly-contagious Delta variant now the dominant form of the coronavirus in Germany. In light of this, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) says authorities should aim for a vaccination rate of at least 85 percent in the 12 to 59 age bracket and 90 percent among over-60s. 

The call for fresh tactics came as Klaus Reinhardt, president of the German Medical Association, told DPA that many unvaccinated people are actually not hardened anti-vaxxers and can be convinced. “To reach these undecideds, the vaccination campaign in Germany must be completely relaunched,” he said. 

He said the initial vaccination campaign had been successful, but now “we need much more targeted communication measures and low-threshold vaccination offers.” He added that the vaccination rate is currently too low in Germany, particularly in the eastern federal states.