Bundeswehr supports the district in vaccination

Vaccinations against the coronavirus in Waldeck-Frankenberg are progressing - both in the vaccination centre in Korbach and throughout the district via the mobile vaccination teams. More than 10,000 vaccination doses have already been administered. Besides the actual prick, however, the vaccinations also mean a great deal of organisational effort. For some weeks now, the Waldeck-Frankenberg district has also been supported by soldiers from the Burgwald barracks in Frankenberg and the district liaison command.

Whether in the vaccination centre, in outreach vaccination in the towns and communities or in the old people's and nursing homes, there are currently more than 40 soldiers on duty who, together with the mobile teams and staff of the vaccination centre, work to ensure that vaccinations are administered as smoothly as possible. "We are very grateful for this commitment of the comrades," says District Administrator Dr Reinhard Kubat. "We appreciate very much that we can count on the support of the local Bundeswehr in this exceptional situation."

At the vaccination centre, the soldiers are currently supporting the teams on site in organising and running the vaccination. Together with the administrative staff, they help with the registration of the vaccinees at the registration desk, guide them through the individual areas of the vaccination lines and are also available for organisational questions. In the outreach vaccination programme, which is currently running in parallel in the cities and municipalities, they also provide support with administrative and organisational tasks.

"The soldiers are already a valuable help to us," says Karl-Friedrich Frese, First District Commissioner and Head of the Health Department. "Especially when more vaccine is available and the capacities of the centre in Korbach are once again significantly increased, this support will continue to be necessary." The vaccination centre Waldeck-Frankenberg is designed to be able to carry out up to 1,000 vaccinations per day.

The deputy head of the state liaison command in Hesse, Colonel Siegfried Zeyer, also got an idea of the work of the Frankenberg soldiers and the district liaison command. After the opening of the Korbach vaccination centre, he took a look at the work of his comrades on site - and praised them for their commitment close to home in the fight against the pandemic.

However, the Bundeswehr is not only involved in the vaccination campaign. It also supports preventive measures: The federal government prescribes that employees in old people's and nursing homes are regularly and precautionarily tested for the coronavirus by rapid tests in order to avoid an outbreak in facilities like these as far as possible. Therefore, the Frankenberg soldiers were also trained in taking swabs. They now support the old people's and nursing homes in Waldeck-Frankenberg in carrying out the weekly staff tests.

"In a situation like the current one, it is good to see institutions working together in solidarity - and supporting each other in the fight against the virus," Kubat and Frese continue to emphasise. "Only through joint efforts can we manage together to keep the virus in check and push it back bit by bit."