Nurse in Germany suspected of giving thousands saline solution instead of Covid vaccine

The highest rate is among 20 to 29-year-olds (PA)
PA Wire

Germany has asked more than 8,000 people to get a repeat coronavirus jab over fears a Red Cross nurse injected them with a saline solution instead.

Police have launched an investigation after a 40-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, was suspected of injecting salt water into people’s arms at a vaccine centre in Friesland, northern Germany, in March and April.

While saline solution would be harmless, most people who got vaccinated in Germany at this time were elderly and therefore at high risk in the pandemic.

Peter Beer of Wilhelmshaven Police said there was “reasonable suspicion of danger” based on witness statements.

The nurse’s motives remain unclear but investigators found she had aired sceptical views about vaccines in social media posts, investigators said.

“I am totally shocked by this episode,” local councillor Sven Ambrosy said on Facebook.

Originally it was believed just six people had received the saline solution.

However, local authorities called on around 8,600 residents to get another shot over concerns they had been affected.

The nurse had admitted giving saline to six people after she dropped a vaccine vial on the floor in April, the BBC reported.

But an investigation revealed far more people had been given the solution instead of the Pfizer jab.

Her legal team apparently dispute the reported scale of the saline swap.

Police continue to question witnesses and no charges have been reported so far.

Anti-vaccination protests have taken place across Germany during the pandemic.

The country’s largest and most visible anti-lockdown group is the Stuttgard-based Querdenker movement which expected 22,500 attendees at a recent protest.

Many Covid measures have been relaxed in Germany but some remain, such as the requirement to wear masks indoors and present negative Covid tests or vaccine certificates.

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