Germany's health minister called Wednesday for booster vaccinations to be stepped up and for more frequent checks of people's vaccination or test status as new COVID-19 infections increase, CTV News reports.
Senior health officials also appealed anew to German residents who haven't yet been vaccinated at all to get their shots, though Health Minister Jens Spahn acknowledged that many of the holdouts can't be convinced. They said that pressure on hospital beds is rising, particularly in regions where vaccination rates are relatively low.
According to CTV News, Spahn said that although officials agreed in August to make booster shots available to over-60s and nursing home residents and staff, only a bit over 2 million have been administered so far.
Germany hasn't made coronavirus vaccinations obligatory for any professional groups, unlike some of its European counterparts. But regional governments have limited access to some indoor events and facilities to people who have been vaccinated, have recently recovered or been tested, and some are tightening those rules.
