The vaccination offer in the Free State is now being expanded once more. After the vaccination centers, the resident doctors and the company doctors, clinics are now also included in the vaccination strategy. “From now on, the hospitals will have the opportunity to vaccinate all patients against the coronavirus at their request,” said Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) on Tuesday. The minister emphasized that both the capacities and the experience are available.
Following the latest recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko), cross-vaccinations with the vaccine from Astra Zeneca and that from Biontech should be made possible in the clinics. In the case of mRNA vaccines, no pathogens or their components are used to build up vaccination protection. Instead, they contain parts of the genetic material of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus. In the Astra Zeneca vaccine, on the other hand, a weakened carrier virus (here an adenovirus) that is harmless to humans is used to transport parts of the corona genetic material.
The Stiko now expects increased vaccination protection from the successive vaccination with both vaccine variants. “I call on hospitals and patients to take advantage of this offer,” said Holetschek – also with a view to the current weaker willingness to vaccinate in the population.
Lower threshold offers are a possible answer to vaccination fatigue. Bavaria’s hospitals should now also make their contribution. In mid-May, the minister had already considered integrating clinics into the vaccination campaign. According to his current idea, patients should be offered an initial vaccination with Astra Zeneca as soon as they arrive at the hospital. The second vaccination with an mRNA vaccine could then also be carried out on an outpatient basis after around four weeks.
To support the new offensive, the Ministry of Health has instructed the regional vaccination centers to provide the hospitals with sufficient Astra Zeneca vaccine for the first vaccination and Biontech for the second vaccination. Those who wish to be vaccinated must, however, undertake to have the second vaccination also carried out in the hospital – regardless of how long their inpatient treatment lasts there.