Last week the Robert Schuman hospital group came under scrutiny when an investigation by public broadcaster Radio 100,7 revealed that three of the hospital group’s bord members had already been vaccinated against the coronavirus during the first phase of vaccinations even though they didn’t work directly with patients and therefore shouldn’t have been inoculated until after the second phase. 

Speaking to RTL on Monday, the hospital group’s director Claude Schummer said that before 18 January no clear recommendations had been issued by the health ministry or the Luxembourg Hospital Federation (FHL) as to exactly which hospital staff should be inoculated during the first phase of the vaccination campaign. 

According to Schummer, the three board members in question had already received the vaccine on the 15 January, before the ministry’s official recommendations were issued. 

However, as RTL reports, hospitals across Luxembourg on 8 January had received a document by the health ministry indicating which staff members should be vaccinated during the initial phase. This agreement was signed by the Robert Schuman hospital group on the 11 January, with director Schummer pointing towards the vagueness of its wording. 

Subject to interpretation

Asked about the situation on Tuesday, health minister Paulette Lenert told RTL that there had been differences in interpretation. Whereas the ministry had not considered hospital staff that is not in direct contact with patients to be part of the priority group for covid-19 vaccinations, the hospital group had clearly interpreted the recommendations differently, Lenert said, adding that for her, the case was closed now. 

Luxembourg’s vaccination campaign is going into its second phase this week, with individuals over the age of 75 as well as those considered particularly vulnerable receiving invititations to get inoculated at one of the country’s vaccination centres. 

Phases three, four and five will then see those aged between 70 and 74, those between 65 and 69 as well as those between 55 and 64 getting vaccinated respectively. In the final phase, all Luxembourg residents between 16 and 54 will then receive their invitations to get the long awaited covid-19 vaccine.