An investigation by public broadcaster Radio 100,7 on Tuesday said that three members of the hospital’s board had skipped the queue and received the vaccine during the first phase of inoculations even though it shouldn’t have been their turn until after the second phase.

But the hospital told Delano’s sister publication Paperjam that it had followed procedure.

“In accordance with our mission, we implemented a vaccination strategy for our hospitals and the Omega90 and Réhazenter facilities at the beginning of January,” said spokesman Marc Glesner, adding that 3,200 people were offered to get vaccinated.

“This strategy aimed at securing hospitals and other facilities. We therefore offered vaccinations to the people who work there and circulate there on a regular basis--staff but also sub-contractors and various partners,” he added.

“Among the 3,200 people were three individuals who form the office of the board of directors, which is part of our systemic governance. In the normal operating mode of our hospital, these three people must regularly be on site. There was no privilege or skipping the line; they did not receive special treatment,” Glesener said.

The health ministry declined to comment.

Luxembourg started vaccinating healthcare staff in late December and in January presented the next phases of the campaign. The second phase--over 75s and people considered high risk--is set to launch shortly.

This will be followed by people aged 70 to 74 or considered otherwise at risk. Phases four to six are age categories from 69 to 16 in descending order.

There are no specific dates yet when each of the phases will begin as this depends on the delivery of vaccine doses. Some of the later phases could start in parallel as more AstraZeneca innoculations arrive in the grand duchy, which are not administered to people aged 65 or over.

This article was first published in French on paperjam.lu and has been translated and edited for Delano.