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WORLD:
Mr. Laumann, how well is Germany prepared for mass vaccinations?
Karl-Josef Laumann:
I believe that we are very solidly positioned.
We have created clear responsibility for the federal and state governments.
It was also reasonable to say that the vaccination centers are planned by the municipalities so that local conditions can be optimally taken into account.
The greatest uncertainty is that we still don't know enough about the vaccine.
You can determine everything, including who should be vaccinated first, but in the end it depends on whether the vaccine is suitable for it.
NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) also wants to be vaccinated himself - when it is his turn
Source: picture alliance / dpa
WORLD:
Biontech's vaccine is already approved in the UK.
The vaccinations should start there in a few days.
When is the time in Germany?
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Laumann:
That is initially a matter for the European Medicines Agency.
Politicians shouldn't influence this either.
I do not believe in political approval.
The same standards must apply to all medical products.
It makes a difference whether we get the vaccine a week earlier or later, but what matters most is that people can be sure that it is medically responsible.
That's why I don't believe in any unsafe fast-track procedures.
WORLD:
Is it clear that Biontech's vaccine will be the first to be approved here?
Laumann: From
everything I hear, I assume it will.
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WORLD:
This vaccine has to be cooled at minus 70 degrees.
Should the vaccination centers be able to do that?
Laumann:
We will first store it safely.
As of today, it will then be distributed to the vaccination centers and processed there for vaccination.
One speaks here of reconstitution.
The logistics are relatively demanding because the processed vaccine can only be kept for a short time.
Nobody can yet say exactly how long it will last.
It depends on how large the radius for the mobile vaccination service will be.
When another vaccine comes on the market with less refrigeration requirements, things will become much easier.
It is also important whether the vaccine is suitable for the elderly.
From an ethical and medical point of view, we want to protect the elderly and sick in particular if there is not yet enough vaccine available for everyone.
But we don't yet know if the vaccine is right for it.
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WELT: Does that
mean that tolerance already has an impact on the entire vaccination strategy and the vaccination process?
Laumann:
Yes, of course.
We have around 165,000 people in need of care in homes in North Rhine-Westphalia.
This is logistically easy to plan because you know where you are.
On the other hand, 800,000 people in need of care live at home.
For these vaccinations, the vaccine has to be transported very differently and generally has a longer shelf life.
If we get a vaccine that only lasts a few hours after thawing, it becomes a completely different logistical task to vaccinate that part of the population.
We therefore have to work out various alternatives.
WORLD:
Setting up vaccination centers quickly is demanding, but it can be achieved.
The process in detail, however, has many pitfalls.
Where do you see the greatest challenges?
Laumann:
You have to inoculate the vaccine as effectively as possible.
This means that you have to keep a close eye on and plan the coordination of vaccination appointments so that it is clear how many vaccine doses are available on the day.
We will probably start mobile vaccination.
Nursing and hospital staff can vaccinate themselves.
Large units such as the police or fire brigade can then also be vaccinated relatively quickly later.
WORLD:
For the majority of the people to be vaccinated, personal responsibility is then assumed.
Vaccination appointments must be kept, including for the second vaccination, which is necessary for effective protection.
Laumann:
I'm not so worried about that.
I'm sure the majority of people will be very disciplined because the vaccination is important to them.
WORLD: At
the turn of the year, North Rhine-Westphalia should initially receive vaccine for one million vaccine doses.
How long does it take to achieve herd immunity?
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Laumann:
I heard from the group of pharmacists' associations that 100,000 vaccine doses can be produced per day in NRW.
If we could achieve that number, I would be extremely satisfied.
This vaccination process will take most of the next year.
In order to control the entire pandemic, it depends not only on the vaccination rate in NRW or Germany, but also on the entire world population.
WORLD:
What does that mean for the current restrictions in everyday life?
Laumann:
It is difficult to predict anything for the next four weeks because it is not clear what the situation will look like at the beginning of the new year.
I hope that in the summer of 2021 we will have a situation similar to, and perhaps even better, this year as vaccinations progress.
Last summer - with all the restrictions that naturally accompanied us there - we were able to live relatively normally.
I hope that the vaccination will help us get back to normal faster.
WORLD:
When do you get yourself vaccinated?
Laumann:
When the vaccine is there and it's my turn.
As with everyone else.