Fight against Covid-19
Stiko boss suggests expansion of the booster recommendation
The Chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission Thomas Mertens. Photo: Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Booster vaccinations are seen as an effective means of breaking the fourth wave of corona. According to Stiko boss Thomas Mertens, it won’t be long before it is recommended for people over the age of 18.
The chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko), Thomas Mertens, has announced that the recommendation for Corona booster vaccinations will soon be expanded.
The Stiko will on Wednesday «discuss the next, so to speak, the updated recommendation, and that will not take long, and then the recommendation you are now complaining about will also come», Mertens said yesterday evening in response to a corresponding question in the ZDF program « Markus Lanz ». So far, the committee has recommended a booster vaccination for people aged 70 and over, among others. When asked, Mertens made it clear that the recommendation “to 18” could be lowered.
Stiko is already advising people with immunodeficiency, residents of care facilities as well as staff in medical facilities and nursing staff to use the booster. Last week, the panel announced in a statement that its recommendations would be “promptly” updated, also with a view to booster vaccinations. Already at that time it was said that for immunological and epidemiological reasons it would make sense to offer all others a booster vaccination in addition to the previous recommendation in the medium term. In doing so, “as far as possible, proceeding according to decreasing age”.
Only eleven percent have received a booster vaccination so far
Mertens emphasized in the ZDF program that at the moment only about eleven percent of those over 60 years of age had received a booster vaccination. Regarding acquaintances and friends his age, Mertens said: “You got your vaccination appointment with your family doctor for the beginning of mid-December. (…) That is the problem, you understand, and not the problem of saying now that everyone should go to the family doctor. ” The problem at the moment is the capacities – “the general practitioners are in great demand at the moment”.
The federal and state governments had already agreed the week before last that they wanted to make booster vaccinations possible for everyone. They are scheduled for six months at the earliest after full vaccination. Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) had recently spoken out in favor of giving everyone over the age of 18 a booster vaccination against the coronavirus – even if the last vaccination was not six months ago. The health ministers of the federal states also emphasized in a resolution that especially the elderly, people with previous illnesses as well as medical and nursing staff should receive the boosters.