Stiko now recommends a second corona booster from the age of 60

Created: 08/18/2022, 16:33

In the future, Stiko will also recommend a second booster against the corona virus to people over 60.

© Daniel Karmann/dpa

So far, the Stiko had only advised people over 70 and particularly vulnerable groups to get a second booster vaccination.

Now the recommendation has been expanded.

Berlin – The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) now officially recommends a second corona booster vaccination for people over 60 years of age.

People in this age group and over the age of five with an increased risk of severe Covid 19 courses as a result of an underlying disease should receive another booster, according to a statement by the committee on Thursday updating the vaccination recommendation.

The Stiko is expanding its previous recommendation “with the primary goal of protecting particularly vulnerable people even better from serious Covid 19 diseases and Covid 19-related deaths”.

The further booster, preferably with an mRNA vaccine, is advisable after “three immunological events” – for example after primary immunization and the first booster vaccination or primary immunization and Sars-CoV-2 infection.

The condition for the booster vaccination from the age of 60 is usually that the first booster vaccination or the last corona infection was at least six months ago.

According to Stiko, the interval can only be reduced to four months in justified individual cases.

So far, Stiko had only recommended the second booster to people over the age of 70, people in care facilities, people with an immune deficiency and an increased risk of severe Covid 19 courses from the age of five and employees in medical facilities and care facilities.

On Monday, the "Bild" newspaper had already reported that the recommendation for the second booster for people over 60 should be expanded.

In the updated Stiko recommendation, the committee also advocates the use of Novavax's protein vaccine for primary immunization for young people aged 12 and over - previously it was only recommended for those aged 18 and over.

Two doses should be given at least three weeks apart.

In addition to vaccination, Stiko now recommends the antibody preparation Evusheld as a preventive measure to special groups aged 12 and over.

It consists of two Sars-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies.

dpa