German government fears cyberattacks on vaccination centres

An elderly woman sits at a registration counter at the regional coronavirus vaccination centre in Ludwigsburg, southern Germany. — AFP

The government of German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned of possible attacks by opponents of vaccinations or coronavirus skeptics on vaccine facilities.

Due to “great media attention as well as the high dynamics and emotion” surrounding the topic, there is the threat of physical or cyberattacks on vaccination centers, transportation companies and producers, the German Interior Ministry said in a paper seen by Bloomberg. The report was produced in response to a parliamentary question by lawmakers of the Green Party in the Bundestag.

In the past few months, Germany has seen some violent protests by coronavirus skeptics, who include many right-wing radicals. In Berlin, some of the protesters tried to storm the Reichstag, the main parliament building, last August.

Merkel has promised that all citizens will be offered a vaccination by the end of the summer. However, almost 40% of Germans say that they don’t want to be vaccinated, according to surveys. – Bloomberg