As a GP, Michael Freitag, a university lecturer in general medicine, has a lot of experience with vaccinations. In this interview, he explains what role GP practices should play in the Covid-19 vaccination programme - and what it's like to receive a vaccination yourself.
Prof Freitag, everyone is currently talking about vaccinations. As a doctor who also works in practice and deals with at-risk groups, have you already been vaccinated?
I received my first Covid-19 vaccination with the AstraZenca vaccine just under a week ago - along with a total of five colleagues from my practice. Four others were already vaccinated a few weeks ago. I tolerated the vaccination very well and even went running once the weekend after. Some of us had mild to moderate vaccination reactions, such as an elevated temperature, fatigue or headaches and aching limbs. But these are known reactions that only last one or two days. You can adjust to this - and it's nothing to be afraid of.
Do you feel relief now?
Yes, it feels good that something is moving and that I myself can contribute to ending the coronavirus crisis at some point.
Yesterday, the federal and state governments decided that Covid-19 vaccinations should also be possible in GP surgeries from the beginning of April at the latest. The state of Lower Saxony is currently carrying out a corresponding pilot project. What do you think of this approach?
GP practices should definitely be involved in the vaccination programme. This would allow the vaccination programme to be implemented much more quickly. Here's a mental calculation: Ideally, around 1,000 people per day could be vaccinated at the Oldenburg vaccination centre. It's easy to work out how long it will take to vaccinate everyone: 170 days, or half a year, just for the first vaccination dose for the urban population. We GPs also reach older patients at home, for example.
According to surveys, the willingness to be vaccinated is currently increasing in Germany. However, the debate about the AstraZeneca vaccine has also shown that many people are still undecided or sceptical. What role could GPs play in increasing people's willingness to be vaccinated?
We GPs are trusted figures for many people. If we set a good example, then hopefully there will be positive copycat effects. For example, I myself announced my vaccination on social media to dispel any reservations. What's more, we have a lot of experience in GP surgeries, for example through the annual flu vaccinations. We are used to talking to patients about vaccinations. As GPs, we vaccinate every day - and in future, of course, we will also vaccinate with COVID-19 vaccines.
At the moment, the news about the various coronavirus mutations, especially the British variant, which is spreading more widely in many places, is worrying. How confident are you that the vaccinations will also help to contain the pandemic in the long term?
It's not possible to predict that yet. It remains to be seen whether, for example, annual vaccinations will be necessary, similar to the flu. But too much worrying won't really help us. I am confident that the situation will return to normal thanks to vaccinations.
Interview: Constanze Böttcher
