German Doctors Are Offering Flu Jabs Alongside Beer at Oktoberfest

By Dan Smullen

Munich’s Oktoberfest officially opened this year to the traditional cry of O’zapft is, “it has been tapped.” This year, doctors in Bavaria are promoting a second slogan alongside it: O’piekst is, “it has been pricked,” as health workers offer flu and Covid-19 vaccinations to festival-goers.

Christoph Spinner, head of infectiology at Munich’s Rechts der Isar hospital, explained the reasoning behind bringing vaccines to the beer tents. “With so many people coming together in such tight spaces in the beer tents, the risk of infection at Oktoberfest is higher,” Spinner said. Oktoberfest’s late-September start coincides with the beginning of the annual flu season, and Spinner noted that less than a third of people who are recommended to get a flu jab actually follow through.

Beatrix Zurek, a health expert with the city-led initiative Munchen impft, or “Munich vaccinates,” said the campaign is about meeting people where they already are. “It’s our job to go where people are,” Zurek said. “And that means: Oktoberfest.”

The vaccination push is running alongside the festival’s usual scale. This year’s Oktoberfest opened on a Saturday and runs through October 4, with more than 6 million visitors expected across the Theresienwiese festival grounds, taking in fairground rides, live music and traditional Bavarian food alongside the beer tents.

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Dan smullen, beer EXPERT

Hi, I'm Dan, founder of BeerIsMyLife. I've been an avid homebrewer for over ten years, and beer is my true passion. I've traveled all over the world, visiting breweries, tasting beer, as well as making my own batches. I set up this blog to share that experience with you.

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