Vaccination offers must be available everywhere in Berlin
The left is convinced that significant progress in vaccination can only be achieved if there are nationwide vaccination options in Berlin. There must be no white spots on the map, said the new health policy spokesman for the Left Group, Tobias Schulze, of the German Press Agency. “This applies in particular to the neighborhoods and districts on the periphery.”
There the way to the next vaccination center is often very long. “If we have older people or others who are afraid to walk dozens of kilometers through the city, then we also need offers for them,” said Schulze. Further vaccination points are therefore useful. It is just as important now to address those who have not been reached so far, said the Left MP. “This mainly affects neighborhoods with special social problems and people in difficult social situations.”
In Schulze’s opinion, Berlin did not start early enough, unlike Bremen: “We on the left already pointed out in the summer that you have to orientate yourself towards Bremen and go to the neighborhoods, where there is a certain distance from the state, where people should be there are those who otherwise have little to do with public structures.” It is precisely these people that you have to reach. “And we probably started too late in Berlin with that.”
The so-called outreach vaccination, which the Senate is now also relying on, is the right approach from Schulze’s point of view. “I have my constituency in Wedding, and I know that there are many people who don’t move out of their neighborhood. If you don’t go to the neighborhood, you won’t reach these people.”
Those who reject vaccination out of fundamental considerations are difficult to convince. But there are also others who are simply unsure, for example. “These people can be reached with outreach vaccination.” And still others are simply in a difficult socio-economic situation or may have language skills. “They are basically willing to be vaccinated, but have not had any opportunities to vaccinate so far,” said Schulze. “And the group is not small.”
Schulze said he did not know whether the planned vaccination rate of 80 percent for the first vaccinations in Berlin could be achieved by the end of January. “Some of the measures are just beginning to take effect, so I wouldn’t bet on them,” he said. “But I believe that the strategy is right to be on site with the vaccination teams and to reach people where they actually are.”