Doctors criticize Lauterbach's booster recommendation - virologist even considers negative vaccination effects

Created: 07/16/2022, 08:35

By: Catherine Brown

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach: The SPD politician is in favor of a fourth corona vaccination for younger people.

© dpa/Michael Kappeler

For many people, more than half a year has passed since the last vaccination.

Now the Minister of Health is recommending a second booster for everyone – and is causing a lot of confusion. 

Munich – Karl Lauterbach single-handedly: He advances again, this time to the annoyance of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko).

"If someone wants to enjoy the summer," says the SPD minister, "then I would of course recommend the vaccination to younger people in consultation with the family doctor." Then you have a "completely different level of security".

In an interview with

, the Federal Minister of Health suddenly advertised a second booster against the corona virus across the board – leaving many people perplexed.

The Stiko recommends the fourth vaccination from the age of 70, EU specialist authorities from the age of 60, Lauterbach the same for everyone.

And then there is the much-announced vaccine update: vaccines specially adapted to Omikron, which are due to come in autumn – but when exactly is unclear.

The situation is already vague: Boost now or wait?

Doctors criticize Lauterbach's medical recommendations

And now the Lauterbach advance - a test of nerves for the Stiko, as experts say.

"I think it's bad to make medical recommendations under the motto 'a lot helps a lot'," criticizes Stiko boss Thomas Mertens.

He does not know of any data that would justify a fourth vaccination for younger people.

Christoph Spinner, infectiologist at the university clinic on the right of the Isar, sees it similarly.

In any case, risk groups should be boosted a second time after six months - this can reduce the risk of death by about 3.5 times.

Waiting for the adapted vaccines is not worthwhile, because "the currently approved vaccines protect well against severe courses from Omikron".

For younger people, however, “the data is too sparse to definitively assess the benefit of another booster vaccination”.

After all, severe courses rarely occur.

"From what we know, a booster vaccination would not harm the general population - but when it comes to the question of costs and benefits, I am not sure whether a recommendation for all age groups is mandatory."

Virologist considers negative effects of too many booster vaccinations

Virologist Alexander Kekulé goes even further: Negative effects are also conceivable due to too many booster vaccinations, he says.

"There has never been a disease in history where the general population is repeatedly boosted with the same vaccine." It cannot be ruled out that "our immune system suffers a fatigue effect as a result".

This also happens with influenza vaccines.

"If the defense is stimulated again and again with the same vaccine, at some point it may not respond so well." With Corona there is "a big question mark".

That is also the reason why Stiko and the European Medicines Agency recommend a fourth vaccination only for people at particularly high risk, says Kekulé.

"The Federal Minister of Health should not contradict his own expert commission publicly, that only unsettles people."

Bavarian Minister of Health in principle also for fourth vaccination

Even the Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) does not see Lauterbach's advance in the right way. "Some people are - rightly so - unsettled when different experts constantly make different recommendations." Lauterbach should make sure that he does not "the medical profession upset".

In addition, Holetschek would have previously "desired consultation with the federal states, because in practice there is still a lot to be clarified".

In terms of content, however, he agrees with the proposal to recommend a fourth vaccination for younger people as well: "It is important to promote booster vaccinations."

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Virologist Uwe Gerd Liebert also endorsed the initiative: "I would recommend a second booster to everyone whose last vaccination was more than six months ago." That would be the safest preparation for a winter "that will certainly not be pleasant".

However, anyone who has recently been infected with Corona can look at it as a booster vaccination and wait for the adapted vaccines.

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