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The vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer is particularly well tolerated by young people
Photo: GEORGI LICOVSKI / EPA
The decision of the Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) to temporarily limit the supplies of the vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer met with astonishment, incomprehension and clear rejection from representatives of various parties and the health sector.
Manuela Schwesig (SPD), the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, commented on the planned throttling of deliveries: "We all have to take a real step forward now, and that also means for me not to quota Biontech vaccines," she said.
There should still be freedom on site to be able to vaccinate with the vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer or the vaccine from Moderna.
The health politician Janosch Dahmen (Greens) wrote in response to Spahn's plans on Twitter: »We shouldn't do that!
We don't need anything but a handbrake when vaccinating.
The #BioNTech vaccine is particularly well tolerated by young people. "
Dahmen also spoke out decisively against the decision of the still-health minister on rbb-Inforadio.
Everything that is available in terms of vaccine must be used.
Quota regulations are not expedient in this situation.
Germany needs "full throttle with this booster vaccination campaign and no vaccine should be withheld," said the politician.
The best before date is reached in the first quarter of 2022
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the Moderna vaccine doses that are currently in storage are approaching the expiry date: They are only good until the middle of the first quarter of 2022.
According to plans by the ministry, the maximum order quantities for Biontech in medical practices and vaccination centers should be limited for a certain period of time so that these doses are inoculated.
On Saturday, the ministry announced: By the end of the year, 50 million Corona vaccine doses would be ready for use in Germany.
Of these, 26.08 million cans are from the manufacturer Moderna and 24.3 million from Biontech / Pfizer.
"Both vaccines are safe, effective and equally suitable for booster vaccinations."
For people under 30 years of age, the Stiko Standing Vaccination Commission only recommends the use of the Biontech vaccine.
After a vaccination with the vaccine from Moderna - still very rare - myocarditis occurred more frequently.
In view of the rapidly increasing numbers of infections, the Biontech vaccine should not be limited, said the SPD health politician Karl Lauterbach on Saturday on Deutschlandfunk.
“We can't afford that at this point in time.
That's just not right.
It has long been known that the Moderna vaccine is now approaching its expiry date.
Then it would have had to be made available elsewhere. "
"That must be a bad joke," said FDP parliamentary group vice Michael Theurer.
You need massive amounts of vaccination doses.
"Defining maximum quantities here is absolutely counterproductive and sends a completely wrong signal."
Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) also criticized the announcement: It was unacceptable, he told the German Press Agency in Munich.
"That has to be discussed and resolved," he said.
Holetschek is chairman of the conference of health ministers of the federal states.
He wanted to put the discussion about capping the Biontech vaccine on the agenda of the deliberations planned for Monday.
A "serious wrong decision"
The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Bavaria (KVB) accused Jens Spahn of sabotaging the vaccination campaign. As reported by “Bild am Sonntag”, the KVB's meeting of representatives unanimously passed a “resolution against renewed sabotage of the corona vaccination campaign” on Saturday. It says: "The serious wrong decision" to only distribute 30 doses of the vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer to practices from the end of November must be revised. It is imperative that medical practices continue to be able to order all vaccines without restrictions.
Markus Beier, the chairman of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, was Spahn's "political failure" before.
"This minister, even if he is only executive in office, either immediately announces that this nonsense will be turned back immediately and that we will also get the vaccines we order from Biontech or he has to be removed from office immediately," said he of the newspaper.
"Here the country, the people and our practices and health are inflicted the most severe damage."
The German Foundation for Patient Protection also opposed Spahn's plans: "While the incumbent Chancellor, the heads of state and the Bundestag are launching the big booster offensive, Jens Spahn is torpedoing the plan," said the foundation's board of directors, Eugen Brysch.
vki / Reuters / dpa
