The statutory health insurance physicians are demanding a recommendation from the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) for booster vaccinations against the coronavirus.
Andreas Gassen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, said on Wednesday in the rbb's Inforadio that he hoped that the STIKO would make a corresponding recommendation relatively soon.
That would make it easier for everyone - also when discussing with patients.
On the subject of who would be eligible for a third vaccination, Gassen said: “In principle, it is assumed that booster vaccinations make sense for all people who had a weaker immune response and therefore possibly a declining vaccination effect.
These are usually very old or immunocompromised people. ”However, there has not yet been a clear scientific position on this.
The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach also called for corresponding specifications for the so-called booster vaccinations.
Politicians must "now make a clear announcement which groups are first in line with the booster vaccinations," he told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
It must be clear which age groups are involved and for which risk factors a third vaccination is indicated.
At the same time, Lauterbach asked for clarification as to who would have to wait for a booster vaccination for the time being.
Otherwise people would be vaccinated “who shouldn't even get the third dose.
As a result, those who currently need the booster vaccination most urgently are pushed back, ”warned the health politician and doctor.
Booster vaccination starts in Baden-Württemberg and Hesse
Baden-Württemberg is already rushing ahead: the booster vaccinations are already being offered here from today.
Initially, only certain groups of people are permitted for the booster vaccination.
Eligible for vaccination are people older than 80 years, people in need of care who live in their own household and people with an immunodeficiency.
The prerequisite for the booster is that the second vaccination was at least six months ago.
Regardless of age or previous illnesses, anyone who has previously only been vaccinated with a so-called vector vaccine from AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson can be vaccinated.
According to the RKI, that is around 750,000 people in Baden-Württemberg.
Hesse is also starting today with the Corona booster vaccination for people in need of care, people with disabilities and seniors over 80 years of age.
Here, the mobile teams of the vaccination centers are supposed to support the general practitioners and care facilities in vaccinating the boosters.
Incidence varies slightly
The seven-day incidence of new infections has increased slightly again.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Wednesday morning, it was 75.7.
The day before, the value had fallen again for a long time and was 74.8.
A week ago it was 61.3.
The health authorities in Germany reported 13,531 new infections to the RKI within one day.
A week ago the value was 11,561 infections.
According to the new information, 23 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours.
A week ago there were 39 deaths.
The RKI has counted 3,956,387 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic.
The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections are not detected.
The RKI stated the number of those who had recovered on Wednesday morning as 3,744,600. The number of people who died with or with a proven infection with Sars-CoV-2 rose to 92,223.