Germany pushes vaccinations in varied locations

Health workers are visiting kebab stalls, hockey games, and hardware stores across Germany in a push to reach people who have yet to get a coronavirus shot as the country's vaccination sputters.

It is part of a special week-long vaccination drive during which people will be offered the shots without appointments at easily accessible sites listed on a national website and promoted on social media with the hashtag “Hier wird geimpft,” meaning “Vaccinations offered here.” “It's never been easier to get a vaccine,” Chancellor Angela Merkel said in her weekend video address.

Germany wants 75 percent of the population to be immunized against the coronavirus, but so far only 62.2 percent of the population has received all the necessary shots.

Health Minister Jens Spahn on Monday defended growing pressure on unvaccinated people, including an end to free testing next month and — in some German states — no more sick pay for people in quarantine.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)