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Vaccination against Covid-19
Photo: Fotostand / Havergo / imago images / Fotostand
Anyone who has tried to get a vaccination against Covid-19 in Schleswig-Holstein in the past few days may have had computer competition.
Because the Kiel-based IT expert Sören Hergel has developed software with which he can quickly reserve vaccination appointments on request.
However, because he offered the service on ebay classifieds for 25 euros, the state's health ministry wants to take action against him.
Hergel told RTL that he tinkered with the software for up to 16 hours a day. “But then it went great. Within three minutes I was able to get appointments for my relatives who were eligible for the vaccination and who had previously tried in vain for weeks by hand. "Later, the 28-year-old placed an advertisement online on eBay classifieds, as he confirmed to SPIEGEL:" 100% success in vaccination appointment- Booking in Schleswig-Holstein - I'll help, «it said. He has already arranged 52 appointments, he says.
For the organization of a vaccination appointment, Hergel asked for 25 euros on a negotiated basis, and he saw the money as compensation for the development of the software. But the Ministry of Health in Schleswig-Holstein doubts that Hergel acted legally here and accuses him of doing business with vaccination appointments. In response to a request from SPIEGEL, the authorities confirmed that a criminal complaint and an injunction against Hergel were being prepared. "The person concerned was informed in writing about the announced legal steps," it says. Hergel says he has not yet received this information.
A spokesman for Ebay classifieds says that the offer to offer help in arranging appointments is allowed on the platform and will be checked in individual cases.
However, offers in which specific vaccination dates should be sold would be blocked.
"I don't want to appear greedy for money"
In an interview, IT expert Hergel insists that he would not sell any vaccination appointments.
He offers a service that should help to get an appointment.
Accordingly, the Hergels software registers customers for vaccination appointments that were previously canceled by other people.
The feedback was very positive.
By the actions of the Ministry of Health, Hergel feels put in the wrong corner, he wants to defend himself against the complaint and the allegations. "I don't want to appear greedy for money," he says. The 28-year-old has deactivated the display for the time being. He is now working on his own website for his offer, which should go online on Thursday. The offer should then no longer cost 25 euros, but be based on donations. He depends on the money, he says.
It is not clear to what extent vaccination appointments were reserved using the software.
Hergel doesn't want to comment on how many inquiries he currently has.
Just this much: 65,000 new vaccination appointments would be available in Schleswig-Holstein on Thursday.
As soon as there are deadline returns, his software becomes active, i.e. for less than one percent of the deadlines, as he says.
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