RKI report: Uncertainty about the actual vaccination rate


Status: 11.08.2021 10:20 a.m.

In Germany, there may be more people vaccinated against Corona than officially recorded. This is suggested by a report by the RKI. The vaccination rate could be higher, especially among 18 to 59 year olds. Experts suspect several causes.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), there is a “certain uncertainty” when interpreting vaccination rate data. Several considerations suggested that the reports in the so-called digital vaccination rate monitoring (DIM) probably underestimate the vaccination rates, according to an RKI report. Especially among young adults and middle-aged adults, more people could have received a first vaccination than officially recorded.

The DIM feeds on reports from vaccination centers, hospitals, mobile vaccination teams and, in the meantime, company doctors. According to the RKI, data from resident doctors and private doctors are also included. Together they form the basis for the so-called vaccination dashboard. There is also another RKI survey called Covimo, for which vaccination rates are extrapolated based on surveys.

Under-reporting is likely to be expected

According to the report, the latest Covimo survey from the end of June to mid-July among around 1,000 adults revealed a discrepancy with the DIM. The rate of those vaccinated at least once was “a lot higher”, especially in the age group of 18 to 59 year olds: While 79 percent stated in the survey that they were vaccinated, according to the reporting system it was 59 percent.

The authors of the report write that the actual vaccination rate is likely to be between the values ​​of both sources. “In terms of the vaccination rates for fully vaccinated people, however, there was no significant difference,” the report said. A certain amount of underreporting in such monitoring systems is also to be expected by experts.

Half of the company doctors use web applications

Various explanations are given. One point is the recording of vaccinations with Johnson & Johnson, where only one dose is provided for full protection. Contract doctors reported these immunizations only as second vaccination doses, in addition, no assignment of vaccine and age group is possible, explains the RKI.

In the meantime, there is an indication in the DIM data that the vaccination rates for adults who have been vaccinated at least once are “systematically reported too low” by age group. The report also states that so far only about half of the company doctors registered with the reporting system have reported vaccinations via the web application. “This could be an indication of an under-reporting of vaccination rates by DIM.”

“Willingness to vaccinate at a high level”

The RKI experts discuss other conceivable influencing factors. The survey could potentially be distorted, which could lead to an overestimation of the quota. For example, it can be assumed that people who advocate vaccinations are more likely to participate than objectors. Even people without sufficient knowledge of German would not have been able to take part in the interviews.

For both aspects, however, the authors point out that there should have been a greater difference between the sources for those who were completely vaccinated. The survey report states that 91.6 percent are ready or have already been vaccinated. “The Covid 19 vaccination readiness of the population is at a high level.”



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