“The vaccination center at the arena was closed on September 30, 2021. The vaccination campaign continues, however,” explains a tinny voice on the Corona telephone hotline in Düsseldorf. After a reference to two smaller vaccination sites at the main train station and in a subway station, the voice hangs up.
So I can’t get rid of my inquiry. I would have liked to know whether, as a double Astrazeneca vaccine, I could get a boost six months after vaccination 2. The conference of health ministers recommended that. But I can’t find anything about it on the website of the authorities. The booster is recommended here for people over 70, nursing and medical staff and people with immunodeficiency.
Inoculation sites are overloaded
Attempt number two is a call to the city of Krefeld. I want to know whether I can also have a relative vaccinated at the vaccination center there who will not turn 70 until the Christmas holidays. At least I reach a friendly employee. However, I can almost hear her clasping her hands over her head.
The vaccination center is hopelessly overloaded, I shouldn’t do the waiting times to an older man. It is better to make a booster appointment with the family doctor.
Some vaccination centers only by appointment
Obviously, the boosters, which are so important according to politics, are jerking. The large vaccination centers have been dismantled, and where there are alternative, smaller vaccination centers, people often have to be patient. Long queues have been reported in the past few days from Krefeld, Radevormwald and Mönchengladbach, among others.
The problem: The vaccination centers were often only created for the first and second vaccinations – now they are drowning in the rush. The first cities react. For example, you can only go to the vaccination centers at the health department in Cologne and Unna by appointment.
And: Dealing with people who actually do not yet fit into the profile of the country’s booster list seems to be a bit of luck. According to the Corona hotline of the city of Krefeld, for example, it can happen with a little bad luck that you will be turned away at the vaccination center, for example if you are only 69 and not yet 70.
The city of Mülheim, on the other hand, emphasizes that the vaccination centers do not turn anyone away from the booster if the last vaccination was at least six months ago.
State of North Rhine-Westphalia wants more test sites
In principle, the resident doctors are responsible for the third-party vaccinations anyway. The experiences with it are naturally very different. In some practices, for example, they are always manned, so you actually have to be persistent. However, there are also many doctors who have long made appointments for their particularly vulnerable patients.
It is likely that the vaccination offer in the municipalities will still be expanded. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia wants “further mobile vaccinations and additional vaccination stations to be created”. Not only, but especially rural regions must therefore increase.
Vaccination at the Bochum Christmas market
In the Oberbergischer Kreis, for example, there is currently a vaccination mobile that was supposed to increase the number of first vaccinations. Soon there will be another offer especially for the booster vaccinations. The district of Kleve is currently looking for rooms to create further vaccination options.
And in Bochum there should even be a vaccination station at the Christmas market, three more are planned throughout the city.
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