Cancelled routine vaccination appointments due to COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Nora Katharina Schmid-Küpke; Dorothea Matysiak-Klose; Anette Siedler; Lisa Felgendreff; Lothar Wieler; Heidrun M Thaiss; Cornelia Betsch

doi:10.1016/j.jvacx.2021.100094

Cancelled routine vaccination appointments due to COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Vaccine X. 2021 Aug:8:100094. doi: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2021.100094. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Authors

Nora Katharina Schmid-Küpke¹, Dorothea Matysiak-Klose¹, Anette Siedler¹, Lisa Felgendreff^{2

3}, Lothar Wieler⁴, Heidrun M Thaiss⁵, Cornelia Betsch^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Immunization Unit, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
² Media and Communication Science, University of Erfurt, Nordhäuser Straße 63, 99089 Erfurt, Germany.
³ Center for Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences, University of Erfurt, Nordhäuser Straße 63, 99089 Erfurt, Germany.
⁴ Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
⁵ Federal Center for Health Education, Cologne, Germany.

Abstract

Pandemic measures to mitigate the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany led to cancellations of routine vaccination appointments for both adults and children. Survey data indicate that, with easing pandemic restrictions, many cancelled appointments were rescheduled or caught up. Nevertheless, 40% of cancelled appointments were still not rescheduled and were primarily cancelled by patients. Therefore, doctors should regularly remind patients of vaccinations and use every visit to improve their vaccination statuses.

Keywords: Cancellations; Covid-19; Germany; Healthcare system; Pandemic; Routine vaccination.