Corona vaccination: General practitioner describes pressure in the practices - and criticizes several problems

The subject of vaccination prioritization is causing a stir.

The doctor's surgeries are also feeling this.

A medic explains the problems he is currently struggling with.

Berlin / Munich - Since GPs in Germany have also been carrying out corona vaccinations *, the high demand has led many practices to the edge of their capacities.

In an interview, a doctor from Berlin sums up the first few weeks and reports an enormous rush.

"Our workload is almost at its maximum," says Wolfgang Kreischer, who is also the chairman of the general practitioners' association in his state.

He reports to the

editorial network Germany

of a lack of staff increases due to an empty job market and extended opening times to cope with the onslaught.

This had increased noticeably with the release for priority group three *, one could "hardly save oneself from so many inquiries".

Corona vaccination at the family doctor: Great additional effort, because people want to crowd in front

According to Kreischer, a big problem is that many people want to register for a vaccination * even though it is not yet their turn: “There are pushers who can be put on the waiting list at many practices, hoping to be particularly quick to come to a vaccination appointment, and then their waiting place not cancel with us if they have been vaccinated elsewhere, "the doctor scolds against

rnd.de

. Kreischer explains that you cannot afford vaccinations to be dropped.

He could "understand" when people try to get vaccinated earlier - but he didn't understand: "Recently someone came who said he had allergic asthma due to a pollen allergy and was therefore eligible for the vaccination.

In the past, however, he had never been prescribed asthma spray or said anything like that.

We can't prefer someone like that. "

Such attempts would significantly disrupt the process in practice: “We have more and more people who do not want to accept it if it is not their turn yet.

They discuss with the practice assistants, disrupt operations and sometimes become aggressive, ”says Kreischer.

Corona vaccines: Biontech much more popular than Astrazenica - for several reasons

The Berlin doctor addresses another problem that causes a great administrative burden: the different demand for different vaccines *. The vaccine from Biontech is much more popular than that from Astrazeneca (which, by the way, is officially called differently). “Our waiting list for the Biontech vaccine is so long that patients have to wait four weeks. This morning alone we had more than 100 emails in our inbox. At Astrazeneca, on the other hand, the list is much shorter; people here currently have to wait about a week, ”explains the doctor.

This is not due to the drug's supposedly poorer reputation after potential side effects * have been identified.

It comes to the fore that Astrazeneca is now usually only vaccinated on people aged 60 and over.

Kreischer also mentions another aspect: the shorter interval between vaccinations.

At Biontech it is only six weeks, at Astrazeneca twelve, says the family doctor.

In this regard, the patients are concerned with the easing of the policy for corona vaccinated people: "Some speculate that they will benefit more quickly from openings with Biontech." For this reason, the pressure on medical practices has increased noticeably.

"Whether it was smart on the part of politics to communicate this so early remains to be seen," says Kreischer.

Vaccine Waste?

Berlin family doctor complains about Biontech vaccines for the elderly

He also finds it problematic that older people are vaccinated with Biontech in the vaccination centers, even though they could also be given Astrazeneca: "A waste, because this is needed in practices for younger people." - Vaccine given away through Ebay classifieds.

Meanwhile, prioritizing corona vaccinations could soon be a thing of the past:

Would the Berlin family doctor welcome the lifting of the vaccination prioritization? Dr. Kreischer mentions two ways of looking at things and predicts: “There is already vaccine envy, it would continue to increase, and so will the rush to the practices. On the other hand, it would give the practices freedom of action to weigh up themselves. ”

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