Germany vows to vaccinate all citizens by end of summer

BERLIN

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday reiterated her government’s pledge to offer all adult citizens a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of summer.

Merkel evaluated via a video conference the difficulties experienced in the procurement of the vaccines and the vaccination process at a meeting attended by the representatives of the EU Commission, state chancellors and vaccine producing companies.

Following the meeting, Merkel said that vaccine producing companies can already foresee the vaccine deliveries to be made during the year.

She recalled that three companies have been approved for vaccines in the EU for now, adding that even if other companies fail to obtain vaccine approval, the German government will be able to fulfill the promise of offering vaccines to every adult citizen by the end of the summer, or the third quarter of 2021.

Merkel said the vaccine is needed for about 73 million people in Germany since it will not be administered to children.

Emphasizing that the national vaccination plan will be developed in Germany in order to make the vaccination process plannable, she said this plan will be prepared until the next meeting with the state chancellors.