Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn is betting on booster shots to help stave off a rapid rise in cases of coronavirus in Germany. He has called for the federal states to reopen vaccination centres to help with the rollout. 

Spahn calls for vaccine centres to help with booster vaccine rollout

“In order to enable as many people as possible to have a booster vaccination as quickly as possible, the federal states should now prepare to reopen the vaccination centres, which have been kept on standby since the end of September,” Spahn said in an interview with the Rheinische Post. 

He also said that all people over the age of 60 should receive a letter, inviting them to come for their third jab. The federal government currently recommends booster shots for elderly and chronically ill people - as well as those who received either the Johnson & Johnson or AstraZeneca vaccine the first time around - to help give their vaccine protection a boost ahead of the winter. 

Germany bets on booster shots to break fourth COVID wave

“Current data from Israel shows that booster shots make a crucial difference in breaking the fourth wave,” Spahn told Bild am Sonntag over the weekend, just as he called for Germany’s federal and state governments to come together for a summit on booster vaccinations. 

In the 24 hours to Monday morning, health authorities in Germany reported 9.600 new infections to the Robert Koch Institute, pushing the seven-day incidence rate up to 155 per 100.000 inhabitants. A week ago, the rate was 110. So far, around two-thirds of people in Germany are fully-vaccinated.