Status: 10.09.2021 11:56 a.m.
Almost every fourth adolescent up to 17 has had two vaccinations. According to the RKI, however, too few of the 18 to 59 year olds are vaccinated – this could be the reason that more people in this age group end up in the intensive care unit.
Around a quarter of young people aged 12 to 17 have been fully vaccinated so far. 35.9 percent of this age group received at least one vaccination. That comes from figures from the Federal Ministry of Health. “The recommended vaccination protects at any age,” wrote Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn on Twitter.
In the foreseeable future, vaccine for children between the ages of four and eleven could also be available. The pharmaceutical manufacturer BioNTech has announced that it will soon apply for approval for its corona vaccine for this age group. For this purpose, the results of a study would be presented to the authorities worldwide, “also here in Europe”, said the medical director and BioNTech co-founder Özlem Türeci the “Spiegel”.
“We are already preparing for production. The vaccine is the same, but less dosed and there is less need to be bottled.” According to BioNTech, the study results are available. They would only have to be prepared for the licensing authorities. “It looks good, everything is going according to plan”, said BioNTech boss Ugur Şahin the “Spiegel”. By the end of the year, the study data on younger children aged six months and over are also expected.
BioNTech founders appeal to the unvaccinated
At the same time, the two BioNTech founders urge everyone to do everything possible to convince undecided people to vaccinate in the coming weeks. “As a society, we still have around 60 days to avoid a harsh winter,” said Şahin. “We should do what we can to mobilize as many people as possible in these two months.”
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the inadequate vaccination rates among younger adults are also reflected in Germany’s intensive care units. Among the people treated there were more 18 to 59-year-olds than people over 60 from mid-August to early September, according to the new RKI weekly report. This could be interpreted as an effect of the vaccination campaign and the so far insufficiently high rates among 18 to 59 year olds.
Most Covid patients who are now hospitalized are 35 to 59 years old, according to the RKI. Then the 60 to 79-year-olds follow, according to the weekly report.
Looking back on the 32nd to 35th calendar week, the RKI carefully analyzed the reported clinic data. According to this, 4836 people in the age group from 18 to 59 years were in hospital due to Covid-19 infection and 496 in intensive care units. 54 patients from this group died of Covid-19 during this period.
According to these figures, 182 of the twelve to 17-year-olds came to a clinic due to Covid-19, and two to an intensive care unit. One death was recorded here.
Of the over-60s, 2590 patients were in a clinic due to corona, and 411 in an intensive care unit. During this period, 338 Covid-19 deaths were registered in this age group.
Seven-day incidence increases slightly
Meanwhile, the seven-day incidence continues to rise slightly – to 83.8 from 83.5 the previous day. The health authorities in Germany reported 12,969 new infections to the RKI within 24 hours. That is 1282 fewer than on Friday a week ago, when 14,251 new infections were recorded.
Within one day, 55 more people died linked to the virus, up from 50 the day before.