Corona pandemic: despite vaccine - long route to herd immunity

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But it happened at the time that a genetically engineered serum from Biontech and Pfizer went out that the whole world would be vaccinated - this or something like that is the good news for the end of 2020. Of course there is also a Moderna version and prophecies from other vaccine manufacturers gives.

Before Christmas, we are told that vaccinations against Covid-19 will begin in the USA and Europe.

Isn't that the best Christmas present we can ask for in times of the pandemic?

Combined with the hope that, in the foreseeable future, much of what is currently denied us by various precautionary measures and shutdowns will gradually become possible again.

But not everyone is happy and intends to get vaccinated.

A representative survey shows that currently only 53 percent of German citizens are determined to have a corona vaccination.

Even with 100 percent effective vaccination protection, the quota of those willing to be vaccinated would have to be at least 67 percent in order to achieve herd immunity.

According to the current state of knowledge, the new mRNA preparations enable around 95 percent protection.

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There are many reasons for this reluctance.

For one, there is a small group of conspiracy fanatics who see evil forces at work behind the global vaccination project.

Some of them believe they know that the mRNA molecules designed in the laboratory ultimately serve the purpose of making people sterile.

For radical opponents of genetic engineering, vaccination with the new serums is out of the question anyway.

However, the current biotechnological promises seem to encourage rethinking in some people's minds.

Only recently did the Greens decide not to demonize genetic engineering anymore.

The majority of vaccination skeptics are simply concerned about possible side effects.

Maybe the novel vaccines were developed too quickly and not carefully enough?

Can serious complications really be ruled out?

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Basically, every vaccine can cause more or less serious side effects with a certain, usually very small probability.

This is exactly why clinical studies are carried out to identify possible risks.

Studies have shown that the new mRNA vaccines have very few side effects.

In addition to its high effectiveness, that is the second good news.

However, one should not make the mistake of speaking of absolute security now.

If no serious side effects have occurred in 30,000 test persons, it is by no means excluded that, for example, very serious side effects could also occur in one out of ten million cases.

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Even if we assume the fictitious and very unlikely scenario that one out of ten million vaccinations would lead to a fatal complication - then one would have to reckon with a total of eight deaths in Germany.

At the moment, however, Corona is causing as many deaths in this country every day as you would typically have to complain about when two fully occupied medium-haul jets crash.

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Of course, human lives cannot be offset against human life, but as with any other vaccine, in the case of Covid-19, the advantages of a vaccination must clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

Otherwise there would be no approval.

Nevertheless, it is correct that each individual ultimately has to decide for or against a vaccination.

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn has repeatedly said unequivocally that there will be no compulsory vaccination in this country.

And that's good.

Implication would be counterproductive, would play into the hands of the conspiracy fanatics and seemingly provide arguments.

Only with open, honest communication can it be possible to convince those who are still doubting that a vaccination and the social pact associated with it make sense.

The vaccination is not a magic cure or a savior.

This impression must not be given.

So far it is not even clear how long the protection lasts after a double vaccination and whether vaccinated people can still spread viruses, even if they do not contract Covid-19 themselves.

But it is already clear that even in the best case scenario, we will have to live with restrictions for many more months.

The road to herd immunity is long.

Anyone who arouses expectations that are too high now causes disappointments, which in turn can lead to reduced willingness to vaccinate.

And the possibility of rare, serious side effects must not be taboo.

One should also consider an effect that will inevitably occur with mass vaccination.

People who are suddenly afflicted by symptoms of some kind and who just happened to have received a vaccination shortly beforehand could easily be stylized as vaccine victims.

Even if there is no causal connection between the vaccination and the medical event, word of this kind could quickly get around in social networks and lead to vaccination skepticism.

This is not a gray theory.

In Japan, the willingness to be vaccinated against cervical cancer fell from 70 to less than one percent in a very short time after the vaccine was wrongly blamed for serious side effects.

Dealing with fake news in the mammoth corona vaccination project should be considered in good time.

Who will be vaccinated first?

In the first few months after the start of the vaccination, the question of insufficient vaccination will not arise.

On the contrary, initially there will not be enough doses for everyone who wants to be vaccinated.

First of all, it is more about the question of prioritization: Who is allowed to benefit from a vaccination first?

The Ethics Council recommended vaccinating people at very high risk first.

Politics, on the other hand, has put medical personnel first.

There are arguments for both.

But if the health experts set a good example, people's trust in a corona vaccination could also be strengthened.

However, a new problem arises: studies show that the willingness to vaccinate is lower in the health professions than in the general population.