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Thursday, December 31, 2020
“Double vaccination capacity”
Streeck suggests skipping the second dose for now
It would be a “difficult decision,” says virologist Streeck: If each patient initially received only one vaccine instead of the two planned, more people could be vaccinated faster. This is already being discussed in other countries. Because the vaccine is not only scarce in Germany.
Virologist Hendrik Streeck suggested that patients should initially only inject one instead of the two planned doses as part of the coronavirus vaccination campaign. Despite the vaccine shortage, many people could get vaccinated quickly, Streeck said at RTL Nachtjournal. Some states have already discussed whether to vaccinate just once. “The data have shown that most people are protected from severe disease after the first vaccine,” said Streeck, who heads the Institute of Virology at Bonn University Hospital.
The chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) of the Robert Koch Institute also believes that postponing the second dose of vaccination is worth considering. “Since the interval between the two vaccinations can vary within wide limits and the protection is very good even after a vaccine, it is worth considering giving the first vaccine first if there is a lack of vaccines,” said the head of Stiko, Thomas Mertens. . However, this poses an additional challenge when planning the second vaccination, which must eventually be carried out.
The background to the considerations is the small number of vaccine doses available in Germany. Vaccination centers and mobile teams are ready to operate in all federal states. However, deliveries of the only vaccine approved so far in the EU by manufacturers Biontech and Pfizer fell short of the expected quantities. For example, the only currently operating vaccination center in Berlin had to close for several days.
According to a report by The Guardian, the British government is considering postponing the booster vaccination for hundreds of thousands of patients for up to twelve weeks. Instead, more people could be vaccinated first. Three vaccines from different manufacturers have already been approved in the UK. A second dose should be given three to four weeks after the first vaccination.
More than 50 percent protection
According to Streeck, a single vaccine also offers more than 50 percent protection against a severe course of Covid-19. “And if you give the second booster shot, as we call it, the booster shot, later, you could actually double the vaccination capacity with the first batches of vaccination doses,” said the virologist. However, this change in vaccination strategy would have to be carefully considered and discussed. “It is not an easy decision, but it would be a way to vaccinate more people quickly.”
In light of the persistently high number of new corona infections and deaths despite the shutdown, Streeck also called for a long-term strategy against the pandemic. Above all, this should ensure effective protection for the elderly and nursing homes. “We’ve seen again in the last few days that most of the deaths happen again in the elderly and nursing homes,” Streeck said. If the staff there were regularly screened every two to three days, visitors had to go through a lock system each time, and FFP2 masks were available to everyone, “then at least the larger entrances into these houses could be avoided and also prevent it from spreading to residents. ” .
