Parking lot, job center, festival: countries are planning new vaccinations

In view of the decreasing demand for corona vaccinations in Germany, several federal states are preparing new, simpler offers for those who have not yet made up their minds. Actions are planned, among other things, in parking lots, at events, in town houses, churches and mosques or in job centers, as the responsible ministries said. The aim is to provide additional, uncomplicated vaccination opportunities without having to worry about appointments in practices and vaccination centers - even there, after months of waiting, appointments are now often easier to get, as several countries emphasize.

The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach called for creative solutions.

“Where the young people are, it must be possible for them to be vaccinated, with mobile vaccination teams, without any effort,” he said on Thursday evening on the ZDF program “Maybrit Illner”.

Lauterbach mentioned shisha bars and nightlife areas.

The president of the social association VdK, Verena Bentele, suggested in the editorial network Germany (RND / Friday) to set up mobile vaccination stations in supermarkets and pedestrian zones.

Refresher required

The vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and BioNTech meanwhile assume a decrease in the protective effect of the joint coronavirus vaccine after six months. "As already clear from the practical application data collected by the Israeli Ministry of Health, the protective effect of the vaccine against infections and symptomatic diseases decreases six months after the second vaccination," it said on Thursday (US East Coast local time) in a joint statement. Based on the data available so far, it is likely "that a third dose will be required within six to twelve months after the full vaccination".

In an ongoing study of a third vaccination, "encouraging data" can be observed, said the two companies. Details should soon be published in a scientific journal. In addition, it is planned to submit the data to the US FDA, its European counterpart EMA and other regulatory authorities in the coming weeks. The companies assumed that a third dose would receive the highest level of protection against all coronavirus variants tested so far, it said. This also applies to the expanding delta variant. At the same time, an adapted version of the common mRNA vaccine is being developed.

Shortly after the statement by Pfizer and Biontech, a statement from the FDA and the CDC circulated by the US media on Thursday said that Americans who are fully vaccinated do not currently need a booster vaccination.

But be prepared for the administration of booster doses if scientific evidence shows that they are necessary.

US health officials looked into the question, but did not rely solely on data from pharmaceutical companies.

Rush decreased

In Germany, the rush for vaccinations has decreased somewhat.

In some cases, authorities point to the vacation period that has begun or that many determined people have already been vaccinated.

An overview of some ideas for boosting vaccinations in the field:

In

, the Ministry of Health wants to start another vaccination campaign after the end of the summer vacation, which is to be aimed at younger people for the first time. "We want a paradigm shift: the vaccine should come to the people, not the people to the vaccine, as has been the case up to now," said Ministry spokesman Dominik Lenz of the German Press Agency. The aim is uncomplicated offers: "Vaccination in parking lots, on the beach and at festivals, without an appointment," said Lenz about the current considerations. One is in discussion with the municipalities.