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The news hit like a tabletop bomb: German start-up Biontech and US pharmaceutical multinational Pfizer announced Monday that their vaccine effectively protects more than 90 percent of those vaccinated against corona.
Even if the results are only provisional, the publication caused euphoria around the world. And government action. The EU Commission will sign a contract with Biontech / Pfizer for 300 million doses this week.
Switzerland at the finish line
And Switzerland? Stefan Kuster (43), head of the Department of Communicable Diseases at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), did not let himself be watched on Tuesday. “The federal government is still in contact with various manufacturers,” he told the expert press conference. “I won’t give you more details.”
But BLICK knows: the federal government is also in negotiations with Biontech / Pfizer. According to rumors, they were about to sign a preliminary contract before Monday’s spectacular report and are now at the finish line. It is unclear whether Switzerland can join the EU, which receives cans from Biontech through the global Covax initiative under the leadership of the World Health Organization, or whether it will depend on its own agreement.
Berset wants another 100 million francs
In any case, the Minister of Health, Alain Berset (48), asks the Federal Council for another 100 million francs for the purchase of vaccines for Wednesday’s meeting. It is very possible that this is related to Biontech.
The federal government has already signed contracts with two other manufacturers. In August, Switzerland obtained 4.5 million doses of vaccines from Moderna. In mid-October, a contract was signed with the pharmaceutical company Astrazeneca for the delivery of up to 5.3 million doses. So far, the Federal Council has set aside a total of CHF 300 million for vaccines.
BAG expects the first vaccines in six months
Betting on different horses is a smart strategy: because no one knows yet which of the 20 or so manufacturers trying to develop a corona vaccine around the world will actually succeed. There are also doubts about the effectiveness of the Biontech product. Samia Hurst (48), vice president of Corona Scientific Task Force, calls for caution. Biontech has been primarily tested in young patients with mild disease. Also, the study data is not yet public. For a serious evaluation you must know the details.
Hurst expects several manufacturers to have vaccines ready for market by mid-2021 at the latest. BAG is even more optimistic. When asked by VIEW, a spokeswoman explains: “We are assuming that we will be able to carry out the first vaccinations in the first half of 2021.”
The vaccination strategy is still open
This raises the question of which population groups should be vaccinated first, what vaccination strategy the federal government is following. As Kuster explains, that will depend on the vaccines. How long they worked, for example. Whether you need one or more cans. And what were the side effects. Therefore, currently working on scenarios, the concrete strategy will be determined later. But it is clear: “Risk groups and their close environment will be the main focus.”
It is also unclear who can vaccinate. Hospitals, vaccination centers, pharmacies, doctors’ offices and possibly also mobile teams are in doubt, as the BAG says. Because certain vaccines, including those from Biontech, must be kept frozen to minus 70 degrees. Such cooling devices are not found in the practice of all doctors, but only in special centers such as university hospitals.
Challenging logistics
The logistics are correspondingly complex. The FOPH and the armed forces are already preparing in cooperation with the cantons. The logistical base of the Armed Forces will ensure the initial reception of all types of vaccines in the storage places of the Armed Forces pharmacies. To do this, ultra-low and refrigeration systems are being installed, adequate means of transport are being purchased and employees are being trained.
By the way, the place where the vaccination doses will be stored is a secret, as the army clarifies: “The storage places of the army pharmacy are classified and cannot be disclosed.”
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