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Vaccination center (symbol picture): "It is a serious offense"
Photo: Julian Stratenschulte / dpa
An employee at the vaccination center in Friesland in Lower Saxony is said to have given six people a saline solution instead of the Biontech vaccine.
The registered nurse admitted to having replaced a dropped ampoule in this way, the police said.
For the people treated with the saline solution, there is no health risk, it said.
The Biontech vaccine is mixed with saline solution.
According to the police, the employee of the DRK district association Jeverland is now being investigated for a possible assault.
The woman told a colleague on Saturday about the incident three days ago.
The police told the suspect that she had drawn up the syringes with saline so as not to inform about the dropped ampoule.
"A hideous act"
Lower Saxony's Minister of Health Daniela Behrens was appalled by the act.
“I am stunned and shocked by this woman's actions.
It is a serious offense, "said the SPD politician in Hanover.
It is now up to the police and the public prosecutor to clear up "this horrific act" together with the responsible actors in the Friesland district, said Behrens.
There is support from the experts from the State Health Office and the Ministry of Social Affairs.
"The focus is on the people affected who were vaccinated while the suspects were on duty," said the minister.
An antigen test on May 5 is to clarify which of the approximately 200 people who were vaccinated on Wednesday morning did not receive a vaccine.
You should be vaccinated on May 12th.
The suspect woman had been employed at the Friesland vaccination center in Schortens since the beginning of the year.
According to the DRK district association, she was given notice without notice.
mxw / dpa