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HEALTH

EXPLAINED: Who should get a top-up Covid jab in Germany?

The international health emergency due to Covid-19 has been over for months. However, with cases soaring again in Germany, and new virus variants emerging, health experts are recommending some people get a booster jab.

Published: 18 September 2023 16:42 CEST
Updated: 3 November 2023 09:41 CET
A Covid self-test.
A Covid self-test. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Kalaene

What’s going on?

Covid infection rates are on the rise in Germany. However, official figures are likely to be severely skewed due to the low number or people getting tested or reporting their home test results to the authorities.

Sentinel surveys in which a representative proportion of the population get tested each week, regardless of whether they are symptomatic, paint a very different picture. One such survey from SentiSurv carried out in Rhineland Palatinate suggested that this week’s incidence actually stood at 1,099, equating to 900,000 infections across the country.

While these figures aren’t confirmed, what we do know is that there are two main variants currently circulating. Firstly, there is Eris (EG.5), a descendant of the Omicron variant. 

Secondly, there is the new Pirola variant (BA.2.86), which is more mutated from the Omicron variant, and has already appeared in various countries and was first detected in Germany in mid-September.

Which vaccinations are now on offer?

The latest available vaccine produced by Pfizer/Biontech has been adapted to the Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.5, which is very similar to the new Eris variant EG.5. 

As of September, the vaccine for people aged twelve and above will first be available in doctors’ practices.

READ ALSO: German doctors urge Covid-19 self-tests amid new variant

According to the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, the adapted vaccine for young children is expected to be delivered starting September 25th, and the vaccine for children between the ages of five and eleven will be available from October 2nd.

When is it advisable to get vaccinated?

According to the Standing Vaccination Committee (Stiko), those aged 60 and above, residents in care facilities, people with underlying health conditions, healthcare workers, and relatives of high-risk patients are recommended to get the new vaccination. Typically, twelve months should have elapsed since the last vaccination or infection.

Where can I get vaccinated?

The distribution of Covid vaccinations moved from pandemic crisis mode to regular care in medical practices about six months ago, which means that now, they are primarily available through your general practitioner or Hausarzt.

A local GP's practice in Baden-Württemberg.

A local GP’s practice in Baden-Württemberg. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Silas Stein

The entitlement to free vaccinations is based on Stiko recommendations and, in federal states where compensation for Covid vaccination has not yet been regulated, patients will initially receive a private bill for their booster jabs.

They can then submit this bill to their health insurer for reimbursement. The amount that patients may need to pay upfront could be around €35.

Could there be another big wave of infections in autumn and winter?

It’s difficult to say whether there will be more waves of infections in the coming months, as it depends on whether a variant emerges that can evade the immune system.

The good news is that experts still see a very broad baseline immunity from vaccinations and infections in Germany, though people can still get infected. It is expected, though, that generally healthy people will not become as severely ill, requiring hospitalisation or intensive care.

READ ALSO: German Health Minister recommends new Covid jab as infections increase

However, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) also recently emphasised, “Covid-19 is not a common cold.” Infections carry the risk of Long Covid. Healthcare professionals anticipate stress in the healthcare system due to staff shortages and seasonal waves of other pathogens.”

Should we start wearing masks again?

While mask-wearing is not mandatory and is unlikely to be put in place again in public areas, wearing a FFP2 mask can be a sensible protective measure for people with weaker immune systems. However, experts do believe that a renewed mask mandate in hospitals and care facilities could be implemented if case numbers rise.

If you do get infected and want to protect yourself and others, it’s recommended to stay at home for three to five days, reduce contacts, cough or sneeze into your elbow, and wash your hands regularly.

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HEALTH

How to find available therapists in Germany

It’s no secret that mental health care can be particularly tricky to access in Germany. Here are some helpful tips for anyone who is struggling to book an appointment for therapy.

Published: 23 April 2024 12:55 CEST
How to find available therapists in Germany

The process to find psychotherapy in Germany’s urban centres is arduous – licensed therapists often have impossibly long wait times, and private practices don’t accept public health insurance.

A major reason that public insurance funded mental health care is hard to find in Germany comes down to regulations. Specifically the ‘coverage plan’ (Bedarfsplanung) that basically limits the number of licences available for publicly insured therapists in a region.

Germany’s maddening bureaucracy probably won’t be fixed any time soon. So residents in need of therapy will need to find a way through the system as it is.

So here are a few helpful tips for finding therapists, as well as how publicly insured patients can have private practice therapy costs reimbursed.

Look for therapists enrolled at academies

You’ll probably have a better chance getting an appointment with therapists who are currently in training, because not everyone knows that this option exists.

You can search for “Akademie für Psychotherapie”, to find one in your location. The Berliner Akademie für Psychotherapie, is one in the capital city, for example.

If you arrange an appointment this way, you can expect to be connected with a grad student therapist in training who needs to complete their supervised practice hours. In this case, you would see your therapist as usual, and they will be going through your session with an experienced therapist afterward.

The main advantages to seeking a therapist in training is that it may be cheaper and you can probably more readily find an appointment. A potential disadvantage is that the therapist you’ll be seeing is less experienced. 

But according to a Stockholm University study, student therapists who receive regular feedback from supervisors may be just as effective as licensed therapists at treating patients.

How to get reimbursed for going to a private practice

As mentioned above, therapists covered by public health insurance are few and far between, especially in many urban centres, and therefore regularly come with long wait times. But for those willing to do battle with the bureaucracy, there is an option to have your costs reimbursed for seeing a private practice therapist.

Specifically, public insurance providers are obligated to provide full reimbursement of costs in the event of a “supply emergency”. 

Waiting times of more than three months are considered unreasonable. So generally, patients can claim a supply emergency if they have contacted several therapists, and none of them offered available appointments within that time frame.

But you’ll want to make sure that your process is properly documented so that you won’t be stuck with the out-of-pocket costs.

First, you’ll need to document your need for psychotherapy. To get this, make an appointment for a psychotherapeutic consultation with a practice in your area, and be sure to collect a written recommendation for treatment (a PTV 11 form). 

If you don’t know where to start with this, look to the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenärztliche Vereinigung) for a database of therapists. You can also call 116 117 or use the 116 117 App.

After you’ve got your PTV 11 certificate, you’ll need to document your futile search for a licensed therapist. To do this, contact at least three to five therapists that have public health insurance approval. Keep a list of the names of therapists you contacted, as well as dates and times of contact and how long the waiting list for treatment is. 

Additionally, you should try to arrange treatment through the aforementioned Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, and receive confirmation if it’s not possible. So you’ll need to call 116 117, or use the 116 117 App again. But this time go through the process to have them try to find you placement with a therapist. This should take a maximum of four weeks, but rarely happens.

Finally, if you have documented all of the above and have still not found a readily available therapist, then you can seek out a private practice. You’ll need to enroll as a self-paying patient initially, but then you can submit an application for an outpatient reimbursement (Kostenerstattungsverfahren) along with the previously collected certificates and proof of your search. Private practice therapists are usually familiar with this process, and may be able to help you with the application as well.

READ ALSO: What are the main reasons internationals in Germany turn to therapy?

Free phone consultations for students

Students in Berlin can also take advantage of a free 50-minute conversation with a therapist through StudierendenWERK.

For students elsewhere, it’s worth checking what kind of mental health support services your school offers. Many German universities offer mental health support to some extent, and if school counsellors can’t provide the care that you need, they may be able to offer helpful information about where such services are available in your area.

READ ALSO: Here’s how you can get mental health help in English in Germany

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