North Rhine-Westphalia will open its vaccination campaign to additional occupational groups as early as tomorrow, Thursday. Vaccination Priority Group 3 will now be opened by decree, Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) announced in Düsseldorf on Wednesday.

Appointments can then be made, among others, by those willing to be vaccinated who are employed in the food retail trade, in the judiciary, in tax investigation or at secondary schools. The same applies, for example, to contact persons of persons in need of care and pregnant women as well as to parents of seriously chronically ill minors who cannot be vaccinated themselves.

Bookings can be made from 8.00 a.m. via the portals of the associations of statutory health insurance physicians at a vaccination centre. This is possible online at www.116117.de as well as by telephone via the central number 116 117 or the additional regional numbers 0800 116 117 02 for Westphalia-Lippe and 0800 116 117 01 for the Rhineland.

In the vaccination centres, however, initially there will be no offer for over-60s outside these special professional groups, although they actually belong to the same prioritisation group 3, Laumann explained. They could, however, get vaccinated with Astrazeneca in the doctors' offices. This would give them good access to an effective vaccine suitable for the age group.

As of the second half of May, employees of the police as well as the professional and voluntary fire brigades and the civil protection could also make an appointment at the vaccination centre, Laumann announced. Targeted vaccinations in socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods would also be continued.

 Introduction of "lollipop tests" for primary and special needs schools in NRW

The Ministry of Schools and Education of North Rhine-Westphalia will introduce nationwide PCR testing at all primary schools, special needs schools as well as any other primary schools as of next Monday. In the so-called "lollo test", the children suck on a swab for 30 seconds like on a lollipop. Testing with swab saliva using the PCR method is considered to be more sensitive than testing with rapid antigen tests and, according to the city of Bonn, should be much more child-friendly in order to comply with the two weekly mandatory tests at schools.

 Vaccination offers for residents of refugee homes in NRW until the end of May

Residents of refugee homes in NRW are to be offered vaccinations by 31 May. This is the result of the vaccination decree that was sent to the municipalities on Wednesday.

The cities and districts are to make use of the "vaccine quotas already allocated". "If available, residual quantities of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can also be used for this purpose," the decree states. Separate quantities of vaccine are available for the state's initial reception facilities.

 Gamescom 2021 digitally only again

"As in the previous year, gamescom 2021 will be held 100% digitally and free of charge for all gamescom fans." The organiser announced this on its website on Wednesday afternoon. Koelnmesse Managing Director Oliver Frese cited the factor of planning security as the most important reason for once again holding the Cologne gaming fair online: "We had to recognise that gamescom is still too early for many companies in the industry. One thing is crystal clear: all participants need planning security now. That's why we are once again counting on a purely digital gamescom this year".