Merkel Speaks Out Against Giving Preferences To Citizens Vaccinated Against COVID-19

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper that she is opposed to the idea of prioritizing access to certain areas or services for citizens already vaccinated against the coronavirus

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th February, 2021) German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper that she is opposed to the idea of prioritizing access to certain areas or services for citizens already vaccinated against the coronavirus.

"The number of vaccinees is so far significantly lower than that of those who are awaiting the vaccine, the state should treat both groups equally," Merkel said.

According to the chancellor, when a sufficient number of people receive an offer to get vaccinated and some are reluctant, the authorities will decide whether to provide access in certain fields only to the vaccinees.

"But we still have a long way to go," Merkes added.

Germany launched its mass vaccination campaign along with other EU member states in late December, using the Pfizer/BioNTech two-shot vaccine. To date, some 1.7 million Germans, roughly 2 percent of the country's population, have already received both injections, while over 1.5 million others have got only one.