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GERMAN LANGUAGE

Low-income workers in Germany ‘left behind’ in the vaccination rollout

Germany now has a stable and plentiful supply of Covid vaccines at the moment - but those in lower income jobs have been left behind, a new survey shows.

Published: 7 July 2021 13:53 CEST
Low-income workers in Germany 'left behind' in the vaccination rollout
A supermarket worker in Leipzig wearing gloves and handing back cash to a customer. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild | Jan Woitas

Despite major progress in Covid-19 vaccinations in Germany, many people are still waiting for an appointment.

And low-income earners in particular are falling behind, according to a survey by the Economic and Social Science Institute (WSI), which is part of the Hans Böckler Foundation.

According to the survey, in June 2021 only 49 percent of respondents in the bottom fifth of wage distribution in Germany said they had received at least one jab.

In comparison, 71 percent of higher earners reported having received at least one vaccine dose.. A total of 4,500 employees took part in the survey conducted by Lohnspiegel.de portal.

READ ALSO: Why Covid vaccine demand is dropping in Germany

Now there are calls for Germany to focus more on groups of the population which don’t have as much access to vaccines. 

“With enough vaccine available in the summer months, all sections of the population must now have access to vaccination,” said Aline Zucco, an expert on distribution issues at the WSI. “Offering vaccination in the workplace is an important building block for this.”

The latest data shows that 56.8 percent of the population has received at least one jab, and 39.3 percent are fully vaccinated. 

Why aren’t more shop employees jabbed?

According to the survey, people who are unvaccinated with low wages include many employees who were hailed as the heroes of the crisis at the beginning of the pandemic.

These include, for example, shop workers: just over half of the respondents (52 percent) employed in this sector said they’d received at least one jab. 

But according to Germany’s Covid vaccination laws, food retail workers were supposed to be given priority for vaccination, and were even placed in priority group 3.

Yet as the priority list was removed so quickly in June, “many workers were left out”, said Zucco. “Now quite a few of them apparently can’t find their way in the jungle around appointment allocation.”

Among low-income earners, however, the proportion of those who do not want to be vaccinated is also significantly higher – at nine percent – than among higher-income earners (four percent).

Zucco said that in-house company doctors could play a key role in helping key workers on the front line get their jabs. 

“If the company doctor offers an uncomplicated vaccination during working hours, many additional people can be reached that way,” said Zucco.

“And if your own colleagues go for vaccination, that might also convince some who are still hesitant at the moment.”

As The Local has been reporting, there have been major differences on how the vaccine is being rolled out across Germany depending on where you live. 

Now some states are launching their own campaigns to address vaccine hesitancy, by presenting inoculation as the gateway to freedom, holidays and fun.

In Bavaria, for example, the “Ich tu’s für…” (I’m doing it for…) campaign gives numerous reasons why people could get vaccinated.

READ ALSO: Why are some parts of Germany still not vaccinating people in their 60s?

Vocabulary 

Low-income earners – (die) Geringverdiener 

High or higher earners (die) Besserverdiener

Heroines and heroes- (die) Heldinnen und Helden

Jungle – (der) Dschungel 

We’re aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.

Member comments

  1. What I believe many “Experts” miss is that people working “9-5” jobs, possibly also Saturdays, are aware that being vaccinated also usually means you feel like crap next Day. And if they go on a Day Off they lose the day after that, or would even have to go into work feeling awful. I’m not saying that this is a good reason not to get vaccinated- I believe that everyone who can, should – but they may need to think of incentives to get these people jabbed

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GERMAN LANGUAGE

‘Umpf’: Six noises to help you sound like a German

You may think fancy vocab is the only way to impress your friends in German, but these quirky noises could actually be the key to sounding like a local.

Published: 24 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:39 CEST
'Umpf': Six noises to help you sound like a German

For most German-language learners, it’s a familiar scenario: you kick off your language journey with textbooks and courses and eventually start to get comfortable with the tricky grammar and vocabulary.

But as soon as you start talking to a native speaker, you’ll probably hear several words you’ve never heard before – and even a few confusing noises that are hard to decipher.

These funny sounds – which are usually described as discourse markers by linguists – can be used to express anything from exhaustion to surprise, or even to check whether the person you’re talking to is listening.

If you want to sound like a native, it’s worth getting familiar with these quirky noises and trying to incorporate them in your everyday speech.

The good news is that they’re a lot more fun to use than the tricky words you learn in language schools.

What’s more, they’re an easy way to add some natural flair and personality to your German.

READ ALSO: What are the different levels in German and how do I reach them?

Tja

Hearing this word can be confusing for foreigners, because it may sound an awful lot like “ja”, or yes.

But rather than being an affirmative response to a question, ‘tja’ is often used ahead of a contradiction or as an expression of scepticism, similar to the English word “well”.

You may also hear “tja”, or even “ja”, simply used as filler words for the speaker to buy time to think about what they’re saying. For example, if a stranger asks you if the next train to Dresden leaves from Platform 3, you may respond with “Ja… nein”, if you aren’t quite sure of the answer.

Another key meaning of ‘tja’ is best summed by a meme that defines it as a the typical German response to the apocalypse, nuclear war, alien attack or having no bread in the house.

When something catastrophic has happened – like the apolocalypse or an empty bread shelf – it can be taken to mean either “I told you so” or “sh*t happens”, casting an ironic light over the gloomy situation.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

Hä

This is a word you won’t read in the German textbooks, but “hä” is a sure-fire way to sound more German in your conversations.

Much like the English “huh?”, you can use “hä?” to express surprise or incomprehension. If a friend from your German course tells you they actually enjoy learning German grammar, then a disbelieving “hä?” is probably an apt response.

In a more banal context, if you haven’t quite understood what somebody’s said, a gentle “hä?” could stand in for the more polite and formal, “wie bitte?”.

A word of warning, though: “hä?” is viewed as very informal and can even be construed as rude in certain situations, so be sure to only use it among people you’re very friendly and familiar with.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

READ ALSO: German word of the day – Hä?

Ne

Whether you’re a fan of German podcasts or have a few German friends who enjoy to speak at length about the world, you’ve probably come across ‘ne’ at some point or other.

It’s generally used at the end of sentences to check that the other person is listening and has understood, similar to the English “right?” or “you know?”.

For that reason, it often has a high inflection, as if you’re asking a question – though you don’t necessarily expect a response.

So next time you embark on a long rant in German, try interjecting a “ne?” or two. This can add variety to your tone and at the very least ensure the other person hasn’t fallen asleep halfway through.

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

Auwa

When a German child trips and falls over at the Spielplatz, the first thing they may shout is, “Auwaaaaa!” before calling on their parents to come and comfort them.

But it’s not just the little ones who use this noise to express pain in Germany – adults will also emit an occasional “auwa!” if they accidentally stub their toe.

A sad teddy bear with broken arm

A sad teddy bear with a broken arm. “Auwa” is the most German way to respond to a painful accident. Photo: Photo by Trym Nilsen on Unsplash

An alternative to “auwa” is the more English-style “auch!”, which is pronounced the same as “ouch!” but spelled differently. This can also be used to respond to a comment that stings a little, as a good-natured way of letting someone know your feelings were hurt.

Here’s how “auwa” is pronounced.

Puh

Though hearing this word may bring some toilet humour to mind, “puh” has less to do with bodily functions than you might expect.

It’s actually more similar to the English word “phew”, which is used to express tiredness or relief.

One scenario you might use “puh” is after running to the bus stop to catch the last bus home. Once you sprint through the doors and sink into your seat, you may let out an exhausted “puh!” to show your relief at having made it.

Before you forget the more childish connotations entirely though, it’s worth knowing you can also use “puh” when encountering something disgusting.

If it’s your turn to take out the Biomüll and the rotten vegetables are starting to emit a foul odour, you might say, “Puh! Es stinkt!” (Ew! It stinks!”), before hurrying to the bins as fast as you can. 

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

READ ALSO: 12 colourful German expressions that’ll add swagger to your language skills 

Uff / Umpf

If you’ve ever eaten an entire bowl of Käsespätzle, you probably know the sensation of feeling so full you’re about to burst.

For precisely this situation, you’ll need to know “umpf” or “uff”. Both of these words neatly sum up that feeling of being stuffed to the brim with food – but not necessarily in a bad way.

A bit like “oof!” in English, “uff” and “umpf” are ways of showing that you’re both sated and a little bit sleepy after a big meal. With Germany’s very hearty cuisine, they’re both expressions that you’ll need in your life fairly often.

Here’s how “uff” is pronounced.

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