Vaccination: Interim report on 100 days of vaccinations in the Canton of Basel-Stadt

The Department of Health Basel-Stadt looks back on the first 100 days of vaccinations and takes stock of the situation so far. The Department of Health has also drawn up a plan for the months of April to June, in order to make things clearer for people who wish to receive the vaccine. All individuals who are currently registered are expected to have received their first vaccination against coronavirus by the end of June.

The Canton of Basel-Stadt has so far received around 57,000 vaccination doses. The Canton of Basel-Stadt is expected to receive around a further 149,000 vaccination doses from the Federal Government for the months of April until the end of June 2021: The Department of Health is expecting around 38,000 vaccination doses in April, around 54,000 in May and around 57,000 vaccination doses in June.

The vaccination centre has been able to administer 2,000 vaccination doses per day since the end of December last year. Two-shift operation with 4,000 vaccinations per day can be introduced at any time. If necessary and desirable, 24/7 operation in three shifts with up to 6,000 vaccinations per day is also conceivable. This would require delivery of 180,000 vaccination doses per month, which is currently not the case.

The vaccination dose deliveries do not arrive in the canton at regular intervals throughout the month. Larger quantities are expected at the end of each month. By popular request, invitations to vaccination appointments are sent a few days in advance. Recent receipt of a delivery allowed the Department of Health yesterday evening to offer vaccination appointments for the coming Monday, 19 April 2021.

Interim statement on individuals vaccinated so far

As of today, around 27,500 people have been vaccinated in the Canton of Basel-Stadt: Around 2,500 residents of care and nursing homes (population group 1a according to the attached vaccination plan), around 13,500 people aged 75 and over (population group 1b), around 4,300 people with a high-risk condition (population group 1c), around 5,900 people in caring professions (population group 2a) and around 1,300 people aged between 65 and 74 years (population group 1d).

As of today, around 54,600 people have pre-registered for a vaccination and a further 4,270 currently have an appointment.

Fully vaccinated: Care and nursing homes

Since 7 April 2021, all residents of care and nursing homes (population group 1a according to the vaccination plan) have been fully vaccinated with the first and second vaccination. Since then, the mobile vaccination teams have been continuing their work: The new focus of the mobile vaccination teams is on vaccinations in residential complexes and other types of housing for the elderly and, in particular, on vaccinations in institutions for people with disabilities. The mobile vaccination teams will also continue to visit nursing homes to deliver on-site vaccinations to new residents who might not have been vaccinated yet.

Further vaccination planning: April to June

The Department of Health can state that vaccinations will now pick up speed again. The current vaccination plan is as follows – always subject to delivery of the announced doses of the approved vaccines:

• The last people to register from the population group 1b (individuals aged 75 and over) were given an appointment for the coming Monday, 19 April 2021. The Department of Health is glad that people born in 1946 and earlier who wished to receive the vaccine will therefore also soon have been fully vaccinated.
• The currently around 4,400 high-risk individuals in population group 1c who have registered will be given an appointment for the first vaccination by the end of April.
• The approximately 7,200 over-65s in 1d can also expect their first vaccination by the end of April.
• Healthcare workers who are in contact with patients, group 2b (i.e. medical practices, dental practices, therapists, etc.), amounting to around 5,200 interested individuals, will receive their first vaccination by the middle of May.

The other around 37,800 individuals who are currently registered are spread out among the remaining population groups 1e, 3 and 5. According to the latest recommendations of the Swiss Committee on Vaccination Issues [Eidgenössische Kommission für Impffragen] group 1e can be vaccinated in parallel with groups 3 and 5. People in group 5, in particular, should be vaccinated by descending order of age. Population group 4 will be vaccinated in parallel by mobile teams.

A high level of vaccine acceptance will help to overcome the pandemic

Cantonal Pharmacist Esther Ammann: “Basel-Stadt has an older population in comparison with other cantons, as well as many people with high-risk conditions. As a major canton with a large university hospital, we also have an above-average number of healthcare workers and a high number of doctors. We are grateful that Basel-Stadt also has a high level of vaccine acceptance. This will ultimately lead us out of the pandemic faster.”

The personal letters to everybody aged 75 and over have also contributed to the high level of vaccine acceptance. The aim of this was to enable people without internet access to book a vaccination appointment and this was successful.

Esther Ammann concludes: “From 19 April, we will be in a position to administer 10,000 vaccinations per week. More vaccination doses for second vaccinations will also be delivered to the hospitals. On the basis of the new instructions from the Federal Government, it is no longer necessary to physically put aside all second doses. However, when we are allocating appointments we make sure that smaller delays in delivery do not result in appointments having to be cancelled or postponed.”

Please note:

The figures given will keep fluctuating because vaccine acceptance is expected to continue to increase and more and more people are expected to register. As the number of people who wish to receive the vaccine increases, these first vaccinations will be given in the rest of the summer months. The information given today by the Department of Health is based on today’s registrations.

Vaccination plan of the Canton of Basel-Stadt