In eastern Germany, pastors push for shots despite protests

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
Associated Press

CHEMNITZ, Germany (AP) — Lutheran pastors across Germany’s Saxony state have used their sermons and opened their churches to promote vaccines as the most efficient way to prevent severe illness and to end the pandemic. Several churches hosted vaccine clinics this month, hoping that offering jabs in a familiar environment and without advance registration might persuade some holdouts. Saxony has the lowest vaccination rate among Germany’s 16 federal states, and one of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases. It also has seen angry and aggressive anti-vaccine protests in recent weeks. One local pastor who saw few first-time recipients at his church’s recent Sunday clinic wonders if all the arguments have been exchanged and the government should mandate vaccines.