The number of those who let their appointments expire in the various vaccination centers in the state of Hesse - without canceling them - has in some cases reached frightening proportions. In the practices of general practitioners, one feels taken by surprise by the recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) to use AstraZeneca for cross-vaccination with an mRNA vaccine from Biontech or Moderna. And what about the patients? Are also excited by the back and forth. The question of why the STIKO has not yet recommended vaccinating young people also moves many with a view to what should happen at the Hessian schools after the end of the summer vacation. The worst thing is not the uncertainty of those who basically want to get the best vaccination for them as quickly as possible.The influence of the discussions on the minds of those who have not yet been vaccinated because they could not or, even worse, did not want to be vaccinated, is dramatic.
There are already mind games about what happens when the supply of people willing to vaccinate dries up: Will there be rewards? Free lottery entries? Lotto Hessen as a vaccination accelerator, you don't really want to believe it, but such a development can no longer be ruled out. If you ask around, you will find out: Especially younger people like to let the appointment for the second vaccination pass unused and without excuse. Astra vaccine is now being thrown away in doctors' offices because nobody wants it anymore. Because - maybe - a few percentage points less protection. At the same time, many countries in the world have no access to vaccines at all; a few things have not been developing in the right direction around Corona for a long time.
Anyone looking to England knows that what really helps is to vaccinate as many people from Hessen twice as quickly as possible so that they receive full vaccination protection, which also helps against the Delta variant. That has to be the political message on all channels. Unfortunately, one has the feeling that many people in crisis management are now ready for a vacation, especially in Berlin.