Large-scale vaccination campaign in refugee accommodation goes wrong

The corona risk is particularly high in refugee accommodation.

Therefore, the residents should now get the important vaccination.

That was difficult in Essen.

Essen - "I've been keeping my distance because of Corona * for so long.

I'm afraid.

With the vaccination I am protected, "says Nurallah Ullah of the newspaper

Welt

," with the vaccination I might find a new job, a new apartment. "He lost his job in the pandemic.

He fled to Germany from Bangladesh six years ago.

Refugees in collective accommodation are exposed to a particularly high risk of infection. Many people live in a confined space. Regardless of age or previous illnesses, residents can now get a corona vaccination. Without the higher prioritization and the use of mobile teams, it would be almost impossible for many refugees to ever get a vaccination at all. As one of the first municipalities in Germany, Essen (North Rhine-Westphalia) has now started the vaccination campaign. By the end of the month, all residents and employees of communal accommodation should have been offered a vaccination.

That comes very late, criticizes the Refugee Council.

There were always large outbreaks in collective accommodation, reports managing director Birgit Naujoks, entire state facilities had to be quarantined 24 times.

"The country simply sat out the problem," complains Naujoks, "The form of accommodation in the mass accommodation alone creates a high risk of infection." The Robert Koch Institute had sounded the alarm last June.

Vaccination campaign in Essen: only half of those invited come - big disappointment after the start of the campaign

The Diakoniewerk could finally get started.

But now those responsible are disappointed.

Only a good third of the Essen residents had registered for the vaccination.

Only half of them came then.

As in the rest of society, there are of course all different attitudes towards corona and vaccination among refugees.

The low quota at the start of the vaccination in Essen is still a big surprise.

The hurdles are complex.

Corona vaccination for refugees: reducing fears is sometimes difficult - the city of Essen produces info clips

Vaccinations per se are less common in some countries of origin, explains social worker Alina Terörde to the

world

.

Reducing existing fears is not always easy.

If only because of a lack of language skills, many refugees would not consume German media.

Conspiracy myths * and misinformation, some of which are widely disseminated via social media, lack the counterbalance.

The city of Essen is now busy with clarification. A woman did not dare because she is currently breastfeeding her baby, a man because he feared intolerance to his medication. Questions that have not been answered to them. The people in charge of the Diakonie have now created info clips in Arabic, among other things, which are now to be sent around in the group. “It takes a lot of trusting work,” says social worker Terörde.