Abstract
Purpose: This study examines which vaccination organization
system performed best in the COVID-19 pandemic to improve future
vaccination organization. Study design: The vaccination
organization of every federal state is categorized as decentralized or
centralized and analysed based on their daily vaccination rates and the
vaccination time series of the federal state with the highest
vaccination rate is analysed by using the Event Study Methodology
[ESM]. Findings: In Germany’s federal state with the
highest vaccination rate (i.e., Saarland), the change from a system of
availability-based offerings to a pre-registration with preferences and
automatic appointment allocation system was a significant performance
factor. Originality: A quasi-experimental study with a
different vaccination organization is setup and the Event Study
Methodology [ESM] is applied to the vaccination context.
Research limitations: This study is limited on the vaccination
organization of high-developped countries with a comprehensive health
system such as Germany. Practical implications: A
pre-registration and automatic appointment allocation system is
recommended as best practice to policy makers and pandemic managers for
their vaccination organization given the first half-year experience in
the COVID-19 pandemic. Social implications: A cumulative
additional vaccination rate of 8.44 per 100 inhabitants and an 14%
overperformance is found. The implementation of this system for whole
Germany would have resulted in 4% higher protection, estimated 26’596
less infections, US$ 7 million less hospitalization costs, and earlier
relaxation of lockdown of two months.