What’s the Plan after Vaccination Centers Shut Down but Corona Persists?

by Marc Kramhöft

These were situations that until then had been more familiar from concerts or football games: Thousands of people from Schleswig-Holstein sitting in front of a mobile device and hoping for a seat. However, not in the stadium or in the concert hall, but in the Corona vaccination center. At times there were up to 28 of them nationwide, most recently seven. Now these are closing too.

General practitioners see themselves well positioned for vaccinations

The chairman of the general practitioners’ association in Schleswig-Holstein, Jens Lassen, is relaxed about the end of the vaccination centers. “We simply don’t need them anymore. They did a good job and there was a time when we were very happy that we had them,” says the doctor from Leck (North Friesland). Now, however, only a few people have been vaccinated against Corona – and family doctor’s practices can do that. Specifically, Lassen speaks of days on which only a three-digit number of vaccinations are carried out nationwide. A fraction of the immunizations compared to the initial time.

Corona is usually treated like a cold

In general, the family doctor and his colleagues are currently still observing a relatively large number of respiratory infections. Whether it is Corona or not is no longer checked in every case because the virus has lost much of its horror. According to Lassen, a PCR test is only carried out if it has medical significance – for example in people with previous illnesses. “We simply don’t know how many of our cold patients currently have Covid. And we don’t need to know that because it’s not very relevant.”

Further information

More than 2.6 million doses have been administered in the centers so far – now the corona vaccination is going into regular operation. more

Infections are mostly mild

Infectiologist Stephan Ott speaks of a corona wave in the background – but there are hardly any severe courses.

The infectiologist and head of the health department in the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district, Stephan Ott, sees it similarly. He continues to take a closer look at the data on the infections and speaks of a wave that is currently taking place in the background. This is noticeable, for example, among the employees in the district administration. But “that’s what we always wanted and propagated. As long as we don’t have a severe course, it doesn’t matter how many cases there are and whether it’s Corona or a cold,” says Ott. The data from hospitals, for example, would confirm that there are now hardly any serious illnesses, says the infectiologist.

Expert: Usually no additional vaccination is necessary until the summer

So what advice do the experts have when it comes to vaccination? Both refer to the recommendations of the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO). Accordingly, a second booster – i.e. the fourth vaccination in total – is recommended for people over 60 years of age, as well as for certain vulnerable and endangered patients. A fifth vaccination is also possible after medical advice, especially for older people.

From the point of view of infectiologist Ott, anyone who is younger, healthy and vaccinated three times does not have to take action, even if the last immunization was months ago – at least until the summer. For the following autumn and winter, the expert demands clear specifications and information from STIKO, among others. Specifically, he wants to know whether everyone should get another booster or whether there will also be a combination vaccine that also works against the flu.

Further information

Many respiratory infections are still going around. What helps with symptoms such as cough, runny nose, fever and sore throat? more

Negotiations on vaccination fees for doctors – deductible possible

It is still unclear who will pay for the corona vaccinations in the future. The federal government will cover the vaccine alone until the end of the year, but the vaccination fee and accessories will only be covered until April 7th. For the time after that, health insurance companies and doctors have not yet reached an agreement in our country either. The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Schleswig-Holstein (KVSH) said: “People who want to vaccinate must expect to pay a deductible from April 8th.” Anyone who wants to avoid this should therefore check their vaccination status and, if necessary, get a booster before April 8th, according to the KVSH council. The Association of Substitute Funds also hopes that this scenario can be avoided. A spokesman was optimistic, even if a new round of negotiations had not yet produced any results.

More than 2.6 million vaccinations in the vaccination centers

So questions are still open on the last day of the vaccination centers. According to the Ministry of Health, over 2.6 million corona vaccinations were carried out there. When it comes to the vaccination campaign in Schleswig-Holstein, Minister Kerstin von der Decken (CDU) speaks of a great joint effort by numerous actors: “This includes many committed people who can hardly be named conclusively. In particular, the committed and tireless helpers of the German Red Cross and the Johanniter, the Bundeswehr and the technical relief organization, the (dental) doctors, as well as the employees of the districts and urban districts. The costs for the vaccination campaign have not yet been finally calculated, but are at least 98 million euros.

Further information

Of the 15 vaccination centers in the country, only seven remain – they should continue to support the resident doctors. more