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Corona vaccine: Booster will soon be recommended for everyone
Photo: Sebastian Gollnow / dpa
In the past few days, there have been different statements about who should receive a booster vaccination and who not yet: On the one hand, Health Minister Jens Spahn emphasized that everyone was entitled to the vaccination.
On the other hand, the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) recommended the so-called booster only for people aged 70 and over and some other groups, such as people with an immunodeficiency.
Medical representatives were annoyed that Spahn was "stirring up expectations" and emphasized that they vaccinated according to the Stiko recommendation.
Now the Stiko has taken a position on the booster vaccinations - due to the "current inconsistent public statements about the target groups for booster vaccinations, which have led to uncertainty among the medical profession and the population".
The committee emphasizes: "For immunological and epidemiological reasons, it makes sense to offer a booster vaccination to all other basic immunized persons in addition to the risk groups mentioned in the medium term." In future, Stiko will therefore recommend the booster to all those who have been vaccinated.
However, as at the beginning of the vaccination campaign, it is again a matter of prioritization. With the aim of preventing severe Covid 19 courses and deaths, the Stiko initially recommended the vaccination for people aged 70 and over and people who live in care facilities. She also advised nursing and medical staff to be given a booster. The Stiko now announces that these groups should be vaccinated "as soon as possible". Furthermore, a booster vaccination campaign should, as far as possible, be based on decreasing age, according to Stiko. It is known that the risk of severe Covid-19 courses increases with age. A correspondingly revised vaccination recommendation by the committee will be made soon.
In most cases, the Stiko currently recommends that the booster vaccination be carried out at the earliest six months after the completion of the basic vaccination, i.e. six months after the second vaccination dose.
For many people, a booster is therefore not yet an option.
The committee also "urgently" calls on those who have not yet been vaccinated to be vaccinated.
»The number of Sars-CoV-2 infections is 10 times higher among the unvaccinated than among the vaccinated.
Likewise, there are many unvaccinated people and people with immunodeficiency among the COVID-19 patients treated in intensive care, ”says the Stiko.
The vaccination serves both self-protection and the protection of others.
wbr