AstraZeneca stop: vaccination summit postponed | tagesschau.de

The federal and state vaccination summit scheduled for Wednesday was postponed pending the EMA’s decision on the AstraZeneca vaccine. The temporary suspension of the vaccine is controversial among experts.

The vaccination summit planned by the federal and state governments for Wednesday night will be postponed after the suspension of corona vaccines with the preparation AstraZeneca. This was announced by a government spokesperson. The conference call on the subject of the vaccination campaign and the participation of general practitioners will be postponed until the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has decided on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

In particular, the consultations should also address the question of how German general practitioners could be included in vaccination procedures across the board. The AstraZeneca vaccine in particular should be used in practices, as it can also be stored there.

“Special obligation”

The temporary cessation of corona vaccines with AstraZeneca’s drug in Germany had caused a split echo. Klaus Cichutek, president of the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), who was decisive for the decision, defended the suspension of vaccines. Said in the daily topicsthat citizens wanted to be sure that the vaccines they allowed were safe and effective. “I think we have a special obligation here.”

The reason for the recommendation are “remarkable accumulations of a special form of very rare cerebral vein thrombosis in relation to the lack of platelets in the blood and bleeding close to vaccines with the Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine.” With more than 1.6 million vaccines with the active ingredient of AstraZeneca in Germany to date, the institute is aware of seven cases of thrombosis that occurred in connection with an AstraZeneca vaccine.

Vaccine acceptance in danger

The president of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, however, questioned the stop. “The fact that people have thrombosis and pulmonary embolism does not necessarily have to do with the vaccine,” he told the German editorial network. According to known international studies, the frequency of thrombosis in the placebo group and in the vaccine group was approximately the same. Montgomery warned that the vaccine would damage his image. “The bottom line is, unfortunately, that this really good and effective vaccine is not gaining acceptance among the population in many countries due to the vortex and suspension of vaccination,” Montgomery said.

SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach also criticized the vaccination ban. The total failure of AstraZeneca vaccines is a “catastrophe.” This cannot be replaced by any other vaccine until the summer, according to Lauterbach im ARD and ZDF joint morning magazine.

Greens: negligent decision

Green health expert Janosch Dahmen even called the temporary stop negligent. The Bundestag member sees it as “the next wave of shock” over confidence in the federal government’s crown policy, as he told the dpa news agency. “An alternative would be to provide detailed information on manageable risk and continue vaccinating those who want to be vaccinated with Astrazeneca.”

SPD President Norbert Walter-Borjans accused Spahn of initially following the EU drug authority EMA’s assessment after the vaccine was stopped in Denmark and has now changed it. “Crazy saying a week in advance that the risks are less than the benefits, and then a few days later, when everyone is getting ready for vaccination, saying, ‘Well that’s too hot for me right now,’ does it too. not testify to a sensible and circumspect policy, “Walter-Borjans said in the ZDF.

“Just a precautionary measure”

The Federal Ministry of Health surprisingly announced Monday afternoon that Germany is also suspending vaccines with the AstraZeneca vaccine for the time being. Several other countries had already done so in recent days. This was preceded by reports of blood clots in connection with a corona vaccination with the preparation. According to the Ministry of Health, this is a precautionary step that was preceded by a corresponding recommendation from the responsible PEI.

Health Minister Jens Spahn spoke of a “pure precautionary measure.” “We went out to check,” said the CDU politician. The result of the review is open. “We are all well aware of the importance of this decision,” added Spahn.

Unlike Spahn, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is adamant that AstraZeneca can still be vaccinated. Examination of the cases will continue, he said Monday night in Amsterdam. Your safety committee will decide on Thursday. Vaccine experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) are already advising on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Delays are expected in the vaccination schedule

So far, according to the Robert Koch Institute, more than 1.6 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered in Germany, with around 9.4 million first and second vaccinations in total. After the stoppage, the Central Institute of Legal Medical Insurance (ZI) now expects significant delays in the calculated vaccination schedule. “This would mathematically change the result of the vaccination a month ago,” ZI chief Dominik von Stillfried told the “Handelsblatt.” Then, instead of August, everyone who was willing to vaccinate would receive a second dose in September. In several federal states, vaccination appointments that had already been arranged had to be canceled.

He has been hoping that he can get vaccinated very quickly and very much, NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet said late at night. ZDF. And now there is no longer a vaccine, at least not in the next few days. Politicians have to react to this.

Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder does not believe that vaccines with the AstraZeneca product have been generally discontinued. After examining the incidents related to him, many groups could still get vaccinated, Söder said in the ARD approach. He knows many who would get vaccinated with it immediately. “I would stand up immediately,” Söder said. Rather, “the vaccination bureaucracy” needs to be significantly simplified, the CSU chief said. “It also takes too long to vaccinate as quickly and as long as possible in the rather rigid vaccination sequence that we have now.”