Hundreds of Covid-19 vaccination centres will be operational in a matter of weeks across Europe. The Order of Malta’s organizational machinery in Germany is also setting up centres for the Länder and municipalities, with the aim of vaccinating the greatest number of people in the shortest time possible and in the safest possible conditions.

“We are extremely pleased with the positive news we’ve recently received on Covid-19 vaccines. Now we want to give our contribution to ending the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr Elmar Pankau, chairman of the Board of Directors of Malteser Hilfsdienst, the Order of Malta’s relief corps in Germany. “We have offered our support to administrative districts, cities and small municipalities because our know-how enables us to help them rapidly,” added Pankau.

Because of the high number of infections still being recorded in Germany – in the order of tens of thousands per day – vaccination initially will not take place in medical clinics, but only in special vaccination centres in 400 different locations throughout Germany, some of which have yet to be defined. It will be necessary to find large buildings such as exhibition halls and sports pavilions, with parking spaces able to contain a large influx of people.

Many volunteers have already offered to help. However, Malteser Deutschland is urgently seeking temporary staff: qualified workers with three years of medical training in nursing or rescue services as well as non-medical assistants, for administration, preservation of vaccines and disinfection of premises.

Several thousand Order of Malta employees and volunteers in Germany will be operating in what has been called the largest medical logistics operation of all time.