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The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) has published its official recommendation for vaccination against the coronavirus.
Since initially only, as already planned, people over 80 years and residents in old people's and nursing homes will be vaccinated, as the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday in Berlin.
These are particularly at risk for severe disease courses.
Stiko recommends vaccination at the same time for medical staff with a very high risk of infection and for staff in the care of the elderly.
"The all-important risk factor for a severe Covid 19 disease is old age," said Stiko chairman Thomas Mertens.
Many outbreaks and deaths are observed in old people's and nursing homes.
"With a targeted vaccination of these two groups of people - people over 80 years of age and residents of old people's and nursing homes - most hospital admissions can be prevented and hospitals noticeably relieved," explained Mertens.
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People with previous illnesses also have an increased risk of developing serious Covid-19.
Depending on the previous illness, however, this risk is very different and usually significantly lower than in very old people.
Population divided into six groups
The recommendation of the Stiko divides the population into a total of six groups.
After the vaccination of the particularly elderly as well as particularly endangered medical and nursing staff in the first stage, it is the turn of people aged 75 and over, people with Down syndrome and people with dementia, among others.
The third category includes, for example, people over the age of 70, people with a transplanted organ or certain previous illnesses and close contact persons of pregnant women.
The fourth stage provides for the vaccination of people aged 65 and over as well as teachers and "people with precarious working and / or living conditions".
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The fifth stage includes, among other things, the vaccination of people aged 60 and over, of staff “in key positions in the state and federal governments” and of those employed in retail and critical infrastructure, including electricity and water supplies.
Finally, the sixth group includes all other people who are younger than 60 years.
In the medium term, the goal is to be able to offer everyone access to a corona vaccination.
"In order to significantly reduce the spread of Sars-CoV-2, a large part of the population must develop immunity to the virus," said RKI President Lothar Wieler.
However, it will take time for a relevant part of the population to be protected by vaccination.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) wants to put the Corona Vaccination Ordinance into force on Friday, which regulates the order in which citizens are entitled to a vaccination.
He named December 27th as the EU-wide start date for the vaccinations.