Germany is regretting its criticism of the Oxford Covid jab

Germany’s fridges are filled with Oxford jabs. But there’s a problem: 80 per cent of the 735,000 doses delivered to Germany so far have not been used. The vaccine is being described in the German press as a ‘shelf warmer’. There are even reports of people missing appointments at vaccination centres if they have been notified that they will receive the AstraZeneca product.

While this is alarming, a lukewarm reaction to the vaccine might not come as a surprise. The vaccine’s reputation has been repeatedly undermined by reports about its efficacy. A decision in Germany not to use the vaccine for over-65-year-olds, despite the European Medicines Agency having approved it to be given to all adults, has hardly helped.

Now, German politicians – fearful of the ‘third wave’ of Covid-19, which Angela Merkel warned about last night – are pleading with people to go and take the jab. Some local administrations are even taking away the freedom of choice, meaning that those who are scheduled to be vaccinated can no longer deny a certain product.

Michael Muller, the mayor of Berlin, has threatened to send people to the back of the vaccination queue if they refuse the jab and ask for the more popular Pfizer vaccine.