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The Italian Medicines Agency recommends the corona vaccine from the manufacturer AstraZeneca, approved in the EU from Friday, only for adults up to the age of 55. According to the recommendations of the EU Medicines Agency EMA, the vaccine is approved in Italy, the agency said on Saturday. However, people over 55 years of age and particularly susceptible people should preferably be vaccinated with the vaccines based on mRNA technology from Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna.
As justification, the authority stated that there were “certain uncertainties” about the agent’s effectiveness in older people, since this age group was only “poorly represented” in clinical trials.
Germany’s Standing Commission for Vaccination (Stiko) recommends the Astrazeneca vaccine for people between 18 and 64 years of age.
“How should you plan?”
Meanwhile, there are problems with Moderna’s vaccine deliveries in Germany – the company is delivering 43,200 fewer doses than planned. The first mayor of Hamburg, Peter Tschentscher, complained about this on Twitter: “The Federal Chancellery has just announced that now the promised deliveries of Moderna vaccines will also be reduced. How to plan vaccinations? “In recent days, Moderna itself and several European countries have been talking about bottlenecks in deliveries for the American group.
The Federal Ministry of Health notes, however, that Moderna’s reduced vaccine delivery will be more than offset by additional deliveries from other manufacturers. Biontech and AstraZeneca delivered 1,747,000 more doses of vaccines to the federal states by February 22, the ministry said on Twitter.
Minister Jens Spahn asked the population for trust and patience. “There are vaccinations every week, and there are also more train by train,” the CDU politician said in Berlin on Saturday. “I just ask for a little confidence.”
In light of the overloaded hotlines, Spahn called for changes in the allocation of vaccination appointments. At the beginning of the vaccination appointments in North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, the registration websites and hotlines were almost overrun. Numerous people aged 80 and over who wanted to get vaccinated or their family members were unable to communicate by phone and initially were not successful online either.
Spahn Announces Revised Vaccination Regulations
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) spoke of the closing of a week of a “tremendous show of force” for families. But he also asked for patience. In light of considerable criticism for the slow start of vaccination and production problems at some manufacturers, Merkel wants to discuss the situation with the prime minister on Monday. Several federal ministers, vaccine manufacturers and representatives of the EU Commission, who buy vaccines from various manufacturers for the entire EU, will also participate in a video conference.
The Chancellor said at the same time: “We are not yet ready to reopen kindergartens and schools.” But: “The more consistently we behave now, we renounce contacts and, when they are unavoidable, we keep our distance, observe hygiene rules and wear masks they wear out, the faster it will be possible again.”
A major topic at Monday’s vaccination summit is likely to be the recommendation of the Standing Commission on Vaccination on an age limit for AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Spahn announced a revision of the vaccination ordinance. One will generally stick to a prioritization, but will take the “age component” for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
In the previous vaccination ordinance, people over the age of 80 and, for example, nursing home staff have the highest priority.
