D.he city of Offenbach opened a second vaccination station in the town hall on Berliner Straße on Monday to relieve the burden on the only vaccination station in the city center in the Bernardbau. The special thing about the new station: Only children between the ages of five and eleven and adults older than 60 are vaccinated there.
The vaccination center in Offenbach’s town hall was closed again at the end of September in the hope that the worst of the pandemic was over. But the situation worsened again in the big city at the beginning of autumn, with the appearance of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, which experts classified as highly contagious, a new high point of the pandemic threatens.
Although the city has tried to increase the vaccination offer again with the help of resident doctors, the increase was not enough, which is why the second municipal vaccination station has now started work with the help of service providers. The new station is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Appointments can be made online for this period. According to the information, they will each be awarded 14 days in advance. Registration is under www.offenbach.de/impfanmeldung possible. After those interested have booked the appointment, they will receive an automated appointment confirmation via email.
The city expressly advises that people over the age of 60 in the town house are only vaccinated on Mondays and Tuesdays, and children from Wednesday to Sunday. A vaccination appointment for members of the respective age group is only possible on these days. All other age groups are reportedly turned away in the town house. The city refers these individuals to on the Internet below www.offenbach.de/impfen Designated vaccination options and vaccination dates. With the opening of the second station, the city wants to make vaccination easier for those for whom it is particularly important and for those for whom there is only a very limited vaccination offer, said Sabine Groß (Die Grünen).
In connection with the vaccination of children, the city of Offenbach points out that the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) recommends vaccinations especially for children who are either themselves exposed to one of the risk factors for a severe corona course or relatives at high risk would have. In the meantime, however, the STIKO also considers vaccination to be sensible for children between five and eleven years of age who have not had a previous exposure – after medical advice has been given.
Apart from the two municipal vaccination stations and the offers of the resident doctors, two mobile municipal vaccination teams are still on the road in the city to vaccinate people who cannot leave their homes for health reasons. The mobile teams also head for old people’s and nursing homes in order to keep the vaccination protection of the people living there, who are usually particularly at risk, at the highest possible level.