Company doctors have been allowed to vaccinate company employees for a week.

But many of these companies that offer a medical service cannot set up a vaccination center themselves.

"After all, you not only need a few vaccination booths, but also space for proper registration, quiet areas and cubicles with loungers in case someone has circulatory problems," says Timm Kremer.

That is why the operator of the physiotherapy practice PhysioWorld in the Thurn und Taxis Palais not far from the Frankfurt Hauptwache developed the idea of ​​setting up a company medical vaccination center.

Patricia Andreae

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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    He is supported by his sister Laura, who is a doctor at the Frankfurt University Clinic.

    They were able to convince Daniela Fette immediately with their concept.

    The manager of the Jumeirah Hotel made her ballroom, which is currently rarely booked, available: "We are pleased to be able to help that the vaccination campaign goes ahead."

    With the help of stand builders, waiting areas, cabins and relaxation rooms were created under the ceiling decorated with crystal chandeliers.

    And so on Friday almost 500 doses of the BioNTech vaccine were injected into the upper arms of employees of Frankfurter Volksbank, Taunussparkasse and the hotels.

    Gaining time for vaccination

    “The demand is huge,” said Timm Kremer.

    But its offer depends on that of the vaccine.

    His center comes to him through the company doctors.

    They order the contingents to which they are entitled and transfer the delivery to the Kremer vaccination center.

    However, he does not take the vaccine directly, but works with a pharmacy.

    "They open the syringes in the clean room, which saves us time for vaccination," says Laura Kremer.

    Because in this way the cans can be kept for up to six hours.

    Bundling forces

    Elisabeth Weigelt, who works as a company doctor for the Frankfurter Diakonie-Kliniken and the Volksbank, is one of those who support the project and thus belong to the approximately 140 doctors and helpers in the Kremer team.

    "It works here like a group practice of several company doctors," she says.

    According to the employers' liability insurance association, all companies that have employees are fundamentally obliged to offer company medical advice.

    Smaller and medium-sized companies can, however, make use of joint offers.

    For Timm Kremer, his offer is the bundling of strengths in order to advance vaccination.

    Kremer offers its center broadly.

    This could also be a solution for many craft businesses.

    As the President of the Hessian Crafts Day, Stefan Füll announced on Monday, many small-scale companies have neither their own company doctor nor the necessary structures to organize their own vaccination campaign.

    It is incomprehensible to him why, for example, administrative employees of large companies, who may even work from home, now receive a vaccination faster than a craftsman with daily changing customer contact.

    Kremer sees an opportunity with his offer.

    “There were also employees here who did not know how to get a vaccination at all,” he reported at the end of the first day of vaccination.

    250 people willing to vaccinate were there on Friday from the Taunussparkasse alone.

    "We offered it to employees and their families," a spokesman said on request.

    However, many of the 740 employees would have received their first vaccination in other ways.

    But you don't check who is vaccinated or not.

    Those who had used the offer in the center were very happy that they had such an opportunity and were very satisfied with the process.

    "In just one day we were able to get the first vaccination to everyone who wanted."

    Second vaccination in a few weeks

    The employees there would also receive the second vaccination in a few weeks.

    The collaboration with Kremer's center came about through regular discussions with Frankfurter Volksbank, with which Taunussparkasse works closely in the joint Finanzpunkt branches.

    Appointments are made on a page that Kremer set up especially for this purpose and that is made available to employees via the company.

    "If we got enough vaccine, we could vaccinate from morning to midnight on seven days," said Kremer.

    For the time being, however, he has to be content with the assignments that the respective doctors receive.

    Nevertheless, he is happy "that we can make a contribution to the fact that more people are protected".

    And that more medical tourists will come to Frankfurt again, because they are important customers of the physio practice next to the luxury hotel.