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Prioritization of vaccinations by the family doctor: private patients first? ZDF presenter asks Spahn directly

2021-03-11T12:52:42.137Z


It should be vaccinated against Corona quickly, but according to a predetermined sequence. As soon as general practitioners vaccinate, it could become more difficult.


It should be vaccinated against Corona quickly, but according to a predetermined sequence.

As soon as general practitioners vaccinate, it could become more difficult.

Munich / Berlin - The corona vaccination at the family doctor could be the breakthrough for the vaccination rate in Germany, but many are still disillusioned.

Because there is not yet a fixed start date, instead of the beginning of April, everything now points to mid-April.

The background seems to be a well-known problem: too little vaccine.

According to a recommendation by the federal and state health ministers, the aim is to start vaccinations in general practitioners' practices as early as possible, but no later than the week of April 19.

The ministers decided after deliberations on Wednesday.

But this also requires a certain minimum weekly amount of vaccine, according to the Federal Ministry of Health.

Because currently those willing to vaccinate mostly drive to the vaccination centers in the federal states to collect their protective dose.

It is the wish of the federal states to continue using these vaccination centers as before.

As long as the amount of vaccine is still low, there would not be enough left for the practices, which is why they will probably only be able to start in mid-April.

Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the state premiers will now decide on the exact start date - "promptly", even before the next Corona summit on March 22, as announced by government spokesman Steffen Seibert.

Corona vaccination at the family doctor: "As soon as possible" vaccine should go to practices

According to the decision of the health ministers, the vaccination centers are to be supplied with 2.25 million doses per week in April.

Vaccines that are also available should therefore go to practices “as early as possible”.

The federal states can declare to the federal government by March 19 that they do not want to take part in the vaccination in practices in April.

The general vaccination priorities should also apply as a basis for vaccinations there.

In April, practices were asked to focus on vaccinating non-mobile patients at home and people with previous illnesses.

To what extent the vaccination sequence - recommended by the Standing Vaccination Commission - can really be adhered to by general practitioners remains to be seen.

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) said on Wednesday in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin” that it was “basically” still important to maintain the prioritization.

Because there were successes in the corona numbers when the elderly and particularly vulnerable are vaccinated first.

Although there will not be 20 million vaccination doses per month or 10 million per week in April, Spahn classified, but significantly more vaccinations have been announced.

The doctors will then be able to prioritize more flexibly, "the doctors know their patients and know who is to be vaccinated first," says Spahn.

Does the vaccination sequence remain the same when GPs vaccinate?

Flexibility desired

But presenter Dunja Hayali is once again asking the Minister of Health carefully.

The vaccination sequence remains, so: “It is not the private patient, it is not who comes first, paints first, not who has a better line to the doctor.

Yes or no? "While formulating her question, Spahn nodded affirmatively, but then an evasive answer:" I have a very high level of confidence in the doctors that they want to first vaccinate those patients who are also most at risk. "

The chairman of the German Association of General Practitioners, Ulrich Weigeldt, criticized the delay in the start of the corona vaccinations in general practitioners' practices.

"We are not only ready, we have been scratching our hooves impatiently for weeks," he said on

Deutschlandfunk

.

"I can't understand that you keep the people in lockdown, so to speak, instead of vaccinating to keep some vaccination centers running," he said.

Lauterbach on vaccination prioritization: Doctors' offices will ensure that the sequence is followed

Federal Seniors Minister Franziska Giffey (SPD) warned in the

Augsburger Allgemeine

against a softening of the priority lists for corona vaccinations at the expense of older people and other risk groups.

"Older people have to keep a close eye on the vaccination because they are the most vulnerable group - this is also what the vaccination ordinance provides," she emphasized.

SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach welcomed the involvement of doctors' practices in the vaccination strategy, but at the same time dampened expectations of a faster vaccination rate.

"It is right to involve the general practitioners in the vaccination strategy, even if the vaccination rate cannot be increased significantly by the end of April because of the lack of doses," he told the

Rheinische Post

.

"Of course, the doctors' surgeries will also ensure that the vaccination sequence is adhered to, I never doubted that," Lauterbach continued.

(cibo / dpa)

Scientists are always in the public eye around the corona crisis.

In the

Merkur.de

interview, virologist Hendrik Streeck defends himself against criticism of corona predictions and speaks about the abbreviated presentation of statements in the media.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-03-11

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