1. So who is in this first priority grouping for the vaccination in Germany?
Anyone over the age of 80. Workers in medical facilities taking care of serious patients (meaning transplant folks or cancer treatment people). Anyone in the medical profession who works in the ICU situation, emergency rooms, rescue services or infection-connected operations. Outpatient nurses/support people. Finally, care-workers in retirements homes.
How long this phase will last? That's not openly discussed, but I would suggest a minimum of four weeks.
2. Is there enough vaccine in the production phase to get all 83-million Germans in 2021?
Well....NO. This is openly discussed. The amount on order and able to be produced by this one company is enough for 68-million people. The theory at work is that they will get around to 70-odd percent of the public, and herd-protection will kick in.
There is also rumors of other contracts being signed, and additional companies coming online in Feb/Mar with vaccines for sale, and maybe the German government will buy into them to fill out the rest of the public.
The odds of a second vaccination (2022) being required (like this being required every 12 months or 24 months)? It's not discussed much and a fair amount of unknowns exist.
3. Cost factor? If you count in the facilities rented/used, the man-hours of the medical folks doing the vaccinations, and the vaccine itself.....the Health Ministry suggests 6-billion Euro for 2021.
4. Can German employers require the vaccination?
This is openly discussed, and there are two ways of answering this.
First, employers are held responsible for making sure a safe environment exists for people in the 'office'. In this respect, they can say that by such-and-such date....probably assuming Jul/Aug, if you haven't gotten the vaccination....you can't enter the office. You'd do home-office and enter some curious legal situation. Legal challenges can probably be expected.
Second, the Infection Protection Act does have the power to mandate this....although every element of the government has so far said that requiring the shot will not occur. Could they change their mind? Yes. A scenario here would be arriving at August, and having a fairly significant death-rate still occurring across Germany.
If you asked me how many Germans won't be taking the vaccination.....a humble guess would be 10-percent minimum (8-million).
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