Sunday, December 26th, 2021
Federal government achieves goal
Germany creates 30 million vaccinations
The federal government will achieve the vaccination target of 30 million vaccinations it has set itself by the end of the year – even ahead of schedule. Health Minister Lauterbach thanks all those involved who have contributed. But he warns the numerous unvaccinated people to prick their lives in view of the omicron variant.
The federal government has achieved its target of 30 million vaccinations set in mid-November by the end of the year. The mark was exceeded on Sunday, as Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said. “The booster campaign in Germany is running at full speed. We have now reached an important interim goal. We can all be proud of that.”
The SPD politician thanked everyone who contributed – especially the doctors, but also those who had been vaccinated. “You have done yourself and society a great service.” He now appeals to everyone to continue at a high pace, said Lauterbach. “We’re going into the second round. Our goal is to continue the booster campaign over the next few weeks at such a high speed that we can significantly reduce the number of hospital admissions for the Omikron variant.” The booster campaign running in Germany is probably the most offensive in all of Europe. “We will continue it – by all means.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz first formulated the 30 million target on November 18 after a conference with the Prime Ministers of the federal states, but at that time it was still based exclusively on booster vaccinations. The SPD politician spoke of “almost – not quite – 30 million booster vaccinations” by the end of the year. That day the count started. In his government statement on December 15, Scholz then said: “I want all of us in Germany to get 30 million doses of vaccine in our upper arms by the end of the year, as a first vaccination, as a second vaccination and as a booster vaccination.” On December 21st, Scholz then corrected the target date to Christmas: “I have and we have set up to 30 million vaccinations by Christmas as a goal. There is much to suggest that we will achieve this goal.” Of the more than 30 million vaccinations since November 18, a little more than five million are first and second vaccinations and almost 25 million booster vaccinations.
In view of the impending wave of the particularly contagious Omikron variant, Lauterbach especially urged the unvaccinated to be vaccinated. “Even the first vaccination weakens the course of the disease in the Delta and Omikron variants very much. It is never too late to start the vaccination.”