[ad_1]
reThe Permanent Vaccination Commission (Stiko), based at the Robert Koch Institute, issued for the first time on Monday recommendations on which groups of people should be vaccinated against the new coronavirus and in what order, provided that a vaccine is approved. Based on the data available from the studies, particularly on the vaccine candidates from Biontech and Pfizer, the expert panel has developed a priority list. The Federal Ministry of Health gives professional associations until Thursday to comment. So, the House of Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) wants to issue a corresponding ordinance. However, the regulation only refers to a possible distribution of the vaccine. The Paul Ehrlich Institute in Langen, which is also subordinate to the ministry, decides on admission.
Based on the available data and publications, the Stiko scientists formed six groups with different priorities for vaccination. It is true that the goal is “to be able to offer all people the same access to a vaccine against Covid-19”, as the draft says. The FAZ has the document. However, the expected initial shortage of a vaccine makes it necessary to prioritize the population. This approach pursues the goal of “preventing as much damage to health and society as possible due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Stiko’s recommendation. There should be no “unjustified discrimination” in access to the vaccine.
Only 54 percent want to get vaccinated
The group that needs to be vaccinated most urgently is quite heterogeneous and, according to Stiko’s estimates, comprises around 8.6 million people. It includes all people who are 80 years or older, which corresponds to about 5.4 million people nationwide. Experts explain that age brings “by far the highest increased risk” when it comes to the question of who can get particularly seriously ill with Covid-19. People in this age group would have “the highest risk of a fatal outcome” from the disease. Therefore, they must first be vaccinated.
In addition, residents of nursing homes and elderly, as well as ambulatory care or hospital for the elderly, belong to this group. Both groups number about a million people each. Furthermore, certain medical personnel should also be vaccinated as soon as possible. According to Stiko, this includes doctors and nurses with a particularly high risk of coming into contact with infected people, for example, employees in emergency rooms or in Covid rooms. Additionally, medical facility personnel who have contact with particularly weak patient groups, such as cancer patients or organ transplant recipients, are at the top of the list.
All of these populations should be the first to receive a vaccine. Because the effect of the vaccine is greater when two vaccines are administered a few days apart, Stiko recommends that the vaccination series that has started be terminated. Therefore, a person who has already received a first vaccine and still needs a second is higher on the list than someone who has not yet received an injection.
