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Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - A third vaccine is now available for corona vaccinations in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The first 74 400 corona vaccination doses from the Swedish-British manufacturer Astrazeneca were delivered as expected on Saturday, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Health.

With this third vaccine after the products from Biontech and Moderna, vaccination is expected to be possible in the most populous federal state from next week.

NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) wants to announce details on Monday.

According to Laumann's earlier information, around 600,000 vaccine doses from Astrazeneca should arrive in North Rhine-Westphalia by the first week of March.

According to the latest data from the Federal Ministry of Health, it could even be almost 700,000.

In contrast to the vaccines from Biontech and Moderna, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia wants to use the Astrazeneca vaccine doses completely for the first vaccinations - and not set aside half of it for the second injection.

North Rhine-Westphalia is following a recommendation from Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU).

The vaccine from Astrazeneca is highly effective after the first of the two necessary vaccinations.

At Biontech and Moderna, a second vaccination is required for full protection, argues the NRW Ministry.

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The Standing Vaccination Commission recommends that the active ingredient of Astrazeneca only be administered to people between 18 and 64 years of age because the effectiveness in older people has not yet been sufficiently proven.

With this vaccine, other employees in the inpatient and outpatient health sector in North Rhine-Westphalia who belong to group 1 of the prioritization are to be vaccinated according to the age limit.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210206-99-328538 / 2