Germany: Booster dose for all those over six months of basic vaccination

Anyone who completes six months of their primary vaccination against Covid-19 can receive the booster dose of the vaccine, the state and state health ministers said in a bid to stem the fourth wave of the pandemic, which he said Federal Service Secretary Jens Spann “is already hitting us hard.”

The health ministers, who have been meeting in Lindau, Bavaria since Thursday for the first time since the start of the pandemic, decided to allow those who have completed six months of their basic vaccination to receive the booster dose, despite the establishment of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko), which currently concerns only persons over the age of 70 and the special categories of professionals or vulnerable. The booster dose will be given by GPs, mobile clinics and vaccination centers. “We have some very difficult weeks ahead of us,” Mr Span said.

The ministers decided, inter alia, on a general and strict application of the rule for access to premises and services only for vaccinated, sick and those who present a recent negative test (3G Rule) and access only for vaccinated and sick (Rule 2G), in areas where there is an outbreak of coronavirus cases.

In the same context, the ministers also decided that, where additional protection is required, such as in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, mandatory diagnostic tests should be imposed, not only on staff but also on visitors.

“We have the tools we need to stem this tide. It is in the hands of each of us,” Mr Span said, calling for vaccination, both primary and secondary. “We have only realized clearly how crucial the booster vaccine is in recent weeks,” he said, adding that the federation would “financially support the vaccination campaign in the states.”

Regarding the discussion on compulsory vaccination, the Minister of Health reiterated his view that “there is great tension in society and such a thing would lead to division.” In a poll on behalf of the first channel of the public television ARD, which was published yesterday, 57% of the respondents are in favor of the mandatory vaccination of all adults.

“The situation is sometimes dramatic, worrying and anything but clear,” said Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holecek, who is currently chairing the Health Ministers’ Conference. “In my view, we are still in the middle of a state of emergency,” he said, calling for an end to the “nationwide epidemic,” which expires on November 25. The Federal Parliament decided today to hold an extraordinary meeting on the issue on November 18.

The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Vust, described in an interview with the Welt as “absolutely understandable” a possible vaccination obligation, as 17 million people have not yet been vaccinated at all, although he also expressed the growing resentment that lead to the opposite result “. However, he was clearly in favor of extending the mandatory diagnostic tests, where there is an additional need.

For his part, the Prime Minister of Saxony Michael Kretsmer, for his part, did not rule out the possibility that a new lockdown may eventually become necessary and called for the resumption of free diagnostic tests. The Prime Minister of Thuringia, Bodo Ramello, described the situation in dramatic tones, pointing out that in the coming days in his state, the beds in the Intensive Care Units will not be enough.

Today in Germany there was a new record of coronavirus cases with 37,120 cases, from 33,949 in the previous 24 hours.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ