Companies take charge of Germany’s vaccination drive

GERMANS AREDAXCEOBASFBMWRWE used to being top of the class. Early in the pandemic, when Germany controlled its outbreak better than most of the West, they felt they were. In vaccinating citizens against covid-19, by contrast, the country has been a laggard. One in 20 has received a shot, compared with nearly a third of Britons, a sixth of Americans and, as , a daily, recently grumbled, even a tenth of Moroccans.German bosses are losing patience. Many workers at the industrial firms that dominate corporate Germany are vulnerable to covid-19 because factory or construction jobs cannot be done from home. Nearly all companies in the 30 blue-chip stockmarket index, as well as countless s of smaller firms, are therefore preparing to launch their own immunisation drives. They include and Bayer (in chemicals), and Volkswagen (carmaking), Deutsche Wohnen and Vonovia (property development) and (energy).