Germany "All adults eligible for vaccination from late May"... Nationwide vaccination plan until September

England Seems Aware of Lower Vaccination Rates Compared to the US
Lockdown Orders to Resume from Weekend as Spread Intensifies

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The German government announced that starting from the end of next month, it will eliminate the phased vaccination priority system for COVID-19 vaccines and allow all adults to receive vaccinations. The plan is to vaccinate the entire population by September to achieve herd immunity.

According to local media such as Bild on the 21st (local time), the German federal government is reportedly discussing with the 16 state prime ministers' offices a plan to allow all adults to receive vaccinations starting from the end of May. The federal government expects that vaccine supply will be sufficient from May to eliminate vaccination priority.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the 16 regional state prime ministers are scheduled to discuss the withdrawal of vaccination priority and related matters at the federal government and 16 state prime ministers' meeting on the 26th. Earlier, Chancellor Merkel announced that all citizens would be vaccinated by September 21. Merkel and the 16 state prime ministers will also discuss the rights guaranteed to citizens who have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19.

Germany has recorded a slower vaccination rate compared to the United States and the United Kingdom. So far, the rate of people who have received at least one vaccine dose is 21.6%, and those fully vaccinated is 6.9%. Even in terms of the proportion of people vaccinated at least once, it is much lower than Israel (62%), the United States (49.8%), and the United Kingdom (48.7%), leading to increasing criticism domestically.

Amid the slowdown in vaccinations and the worsening spread of COVID-19, Germany will enter a strong re-lockdown including a nighttime curfew as early as this weekend. The Federal Council will pass an amendment to the Infection Protection Act on this day, which mandates the federal government to enforce re-lockdown measures including nighttime curfews in regions where the number of new cases per 100,000 population over the past week exceeds 100 for three consecutive days. This bill is expected to be implemented as early as the 24th after presidential approval.