COVID-19: Nurse suspected of injecting saline solution to over 8,000 people in Germany

In a major medical mishap, a nurse in Germany is suspected to have injected saline solution, instead of COVID vaccine, to thousands of immunity seekers.

According to Sky News, the nurse was employed by the Red Cross at a vaccination centre in the district of Friesland. In the aftermath of the incident, local authorities have urged affected people to get another shot of any other approved vaccine.

Germany, which has approved over four vaccines against coronavirus, has inoculated over 55% of its total population. While vaccine hesitancy is ubiquitous in the EU state, authorities are trying to encourage immunisation by granting favours to those who are getting vaccinated. Meanwhile, police investigating the case revealed that the nurse had previously made social media posts about vaccine scepticism.

While the saline solution is harmless, most of the people who were jabbed by the nurse are elderly and at high risk from COVID-19. According to authorities, the number of people affected by the incident total around 8,600, all of whom were vaccinated between March and April, this year. Sven Ambrosy, a local councillor, was quoted by Sky News as saying that she was totally “shocked” by the incident. Later, a police investigator, Peter Beer, told local media that based on witness statements there was "a reasonable suspicion of danger".

Restrictions on unvaccinated people 

The incident comes days after German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff warned that restrictions for unvaccinated people may be necessary if case numbers reach new heights in the coming months. Helge Braun, a German medical doctor and politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said that unvaccinated people may be barred from entering venues like restaurants, movie theatres and stadiums “because the residual risk is too high.” Braun added, “vaccinated people will definitely have more freedoms than unvaccinated people.” Declaring these policies to be legal, he added, “the state has the responsibility to protect the health of its citizens.”

Since the outbreak, Germany has registered more than 3,808,810 cases out of whom 92,332 have died. On Wednesday, the western European country reported 5,478 new cases and 20 deaths, according to the latest tally by worldometers. 

Image: AP