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Vaccination against Covid-19 in Duisburg
Photo:
Christoph Reichwein (crei) / imago images / Reichwein
The vaccination start in Germany has so far been slow, on Thursday morning the number of people vaccinated was just under 132,000, according to the Robert Koch Institute.
This is mainly due to the limited availability of the preparation from Biontech and Pfizer.
For the best possible protection against Covid-19, a second vaccination is planned every three weeks.
But scientists are now advocating postponing the second injection.
The doses could instead be given to people who have not yet been vaccinated, providing at least partial protection.
"Since the interval between the two vaccinations can very likely vary within wide limits and the protection is very good even after a vaccination, it is definitely worth considering giving the first vaccination first if there is a shortage of vaccines," said Thomas Mertens, Chairman of the Standing Committee Vaccination Commission (Stiko) at the Robert Koch Institute.
However, this poses an additional challenge when planning the second vaccination, which ultimately has to be carried out.
The Bonn virologist Hendrik Streeck had said something similar to RTL's »Nachtjournal«.
The data showed that more than half of those vaccinated were protected from the serious illness after the first vaccination.
However, there must first be a discussion about such an approach.
"It's not an easy decision, but it would be a way to vaccinate more people quickly."
Britain wants more people to give first dose
Great Britain granted emergency approval to the vaccine from British-Swedish pharmaceutical company Astrazeneca and Oxford University on Wednesday.
Together with the preparation from Biontech and Pfizer, the British will have two vaccines available from January.
The UK Ministry of Health announced that the first dose should be given to as many people from risk groups as possible.
A second dose will be vaccinated after twelve weeks at the latest.
Peter Kremsner, Director of the Institute for Tropical Medicine at the Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen, thinks the British approach is fundamentally very sensible: “If the effect of the first vaccination does not decrease quickly over time, then the second vaccination could take place later, for example only after six months.
We do not know that, yet.
This is also done with other vaccines. "
In Germany, according to the recommendations of the Vaccination Commission, residents of old people's and nursing homes, people over 80 years of age and medical staff are vaccinated first.
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