Merkel To Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 When Turn Comes In General Priority Order

BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st March, 2021) German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be administered a COVID-19 vaccine when her turn comes in the general public queue, German cabinet spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday.

"The chancellor made statements about it repeatedly. She said she will be inoculated when her turn comes. There are numerous professional groups which do not have the same conditions in their professional environment as she has, that is social distancing and absolute security. And they go first in the queue," Seibert told journalists.

The spokesman cited such examples of these priority professional categories as kindergarten caretakers and Primary school teachers.

"The German government also seizes every opportunity to point out that the AstraZeneca vaccine was certified by the European authorities and recommended by our regulator for use among a certain age group," Seibert said, adding that German citizens, therefore, can "trust it as a safe and effective vaccine."

Germany approved the AstraZeneca vaccine in late January but only for people aged below 65, citing lack of trial data.

On February 10, AstraZeneca announced setting a production facility in Germany, in addition to the ones in Belgium and the Netherlands, to boost the vaccine availability in the European Union in the wake of a conflict over delayed supplies.