His name may one day be in local history books, because Konrad Seidl is one of two men with whom the corona vaccination campaign in the Ebersberg district began on December 27, 2020. The 86-year-old already has confidence in medicine and its advances from his job, because Seidl was a family doctor in Grafing for many years. He completed his pioneering task two years ago with great nonchalance, and he looks back on this day just as calmly.
SZ: Mr. Seidl, how many vaccinations have you had by now?
Konrad Seidl: I’ve got four behind me now.
And? Always gone well?
I never noticed anything after that. In the meantime I have also gone through Corona, that was in August. The fact that I was infected was only discovered by chance during a test, otherwise I wouldn’t have noticed it at all.
They are among the vaccination pioneers in the district. How did that happen?
The mayor of Ebersberg, Mr. Proske, is my wife’s son-in-law. He asked me if I would be willing to be one of the first to be vaccinated. The idea was that if things go well for me, I might be able to convince my patients to do the same.
Did you have to think long and hard about doing this? After all, there was hardly any experience with vaccination at that time?
No, I didn’t hesitate at all. I had no doubts about the vaccination, even that day. At the time, a doctor said I should wait a bit after the vaccination and recover. But then I left relatively soon.
Have you often been asked about your pioneering role since then?
Yes, yes. Also from skeptics who were afraid of side effects or other concerns. I could only tell them that I had only had positive experiences.
Were you able to convince many of the vaccination?
I don’t know if there were many. But quite a few probably do.