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Berlin (dpa) - In the discussion about the effectiveness of Astrazeneca's corona vaccine, doctors and immunologists are trying to dispel doubts about the vaccine.

The vaccine is good and effective, emphasized the President of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, and the Secretary General of the German Society for Immunology, Carsten Watzl.

Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) also advertised the vaccine on Wednesday, which is the only vaccine approved in the European Union alongside those from Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna.

A discussion had arisen about the vaccine from Astrazeneca - even after individual feedback that those entitled to vaccinate may have canceled appointments due to concerns.

The Astrazeneca preparation is less effective than the agents from Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna - based on how many vaccinated people fall ill in studies compared to non-vaccinated people.

Spahn said in Berlin that for all three preparations, a safe and effective approved vaccine protects.

With regard to Astrazeneca, Spahn emphasized that he was convinced of the approval processes and tests.

"And that's why I'll surely get it vaccinated in due course," he added.

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The immunologist Watzl told the "Augsburger Allgemeine": "The Astrazeneca remedy is a very good vaccine, even if the others are a bit better."

Due to the longer interval between the first and second dose in Germany, the effectiveness of Astrazeneca is believed to be increased to 80 percent.

The vaccine offers clear protection against corona disease, which is many times better than if you were not vaccinated.

The Astrazeneca vaccine hardly differs from the other active ingredients in terms of side effects, Watzl said.

“One difference between the vaccines is that with mRNA vaccines these side effects occur in more cases and more strongly after the second instead of the first vaccination.

At Astrazeneca it is exactly the opposite. "

Reactions of the body to vaccinations are not surprising and are usually an expression of "that the vaccine does what it is supposed to do, namely to trigger an immune reaction".

At the same time, Watzl suggested a later re-vaccination with another agent.

"You can increase the immunity that you triggered with the Astrazeneca vaccine later without any problems with an mRNA vaccine," said Watzl.

From the fourth quarter at the latest, more vaccination doses would be available than would be necessary for a double vaccination of the general population, argued the Dortmund professor.

"It would therefore not be a problem to catch up with a third vaccination with an mRNA vaccine."

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The Greens accused the government of “massive communication failures” in connection with the Astrazeneca vaccine.

Too little is explained, "horror stories" are told about the effectiveness of the vaccine.

An effectiveness of 70 percent for vaccines is not uncommon, said the Green health politician Kordula Schulz-Asche of the "world".

The left-wing health politician Achim Kessler called for freedom in the choice of vaccine in the same newspaper - provided that there was enough vaccine for everyone.

The chairman of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, had spoken out against the injection of the Astrazeneca vaccine to medical staff and nurses.

The President of the German Medical Association, Reinhardt, called on his colleagues to be vaccinated with this vaccine.

"You protect yourself and others," said Reinhardt of the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" (Wednesday).

Like the vaccines from Biontech and Moderna, the Astrazeneca vaccine "has been proven to protect against infection, and it reduces the risk of serious and fatal courses," emphasized the medical president.

FDP parliamentary group vice Michael Theurer suggested vaccination of the Federal President and Chancellor soon in order to strengthen the trust of the citizens in the corona vaccinations.

“It would certainly be a very positive signal if Chancellor Angela Merkel and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier were to have themselves publicly vaccinated as soon as possible.

That has a confidence-building effect, ”said Theurer of“ Bild ”(Thursday).

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In addition to progress with vaccinations, rapid tests should pave the way out of lockdown.

Spahn had announced that from March 1, all citizens should be able to be tested for the corona virus by trained staff free of charge.

Medical President Reinhardt sees these free rapid tests and especially the self-tests that are about to be approved as a contribution so that more people can meet again.

With the vaccines and the new test options there is definitely "every reason to hope," said Reinhardt of the "Passauer Neue Presse" (Thursday).

Of course, the rules of hygiene still have to be observed.

The chairwoman of the Federal Association of Doctors in the Public Health Service, Ute Teichert, was more skeptical.

In the fight against the pandemic, it is of no use "just to offer many free tests," she told the newspapers of the Funke media group (Thursday).

“A strategy and clear rules” are necessary.

The unanswered question is how those should behave "who have found a positive result".

The general manager of the Association of Cities and Towns, Gerd Landsberg, warned against excessive expectations of the tests.

One should not believe that "from March 1, large numbers of rapid tests will be available everywhere for all rapid tests," he told the Funke newspapers.

Initially, it makes sense to use it in daycare centers and schools.

Basically, the tests are an important signal of hope for opening perspectives, not only for schools and daycare centers, but also for retail, culture, hotels and restaurants, Landsberg emphasized.

Politicians and experts are worried about the advance of the British Corona variant, which is considered to be much more contagious than the original virus.

According to the Robert Koch Institute, their share rose from 6 to 22 percent within two weeks.

Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) renewed against the background in the ARD program «Maischberger.

The week »his appeal to forego Easter vacation.

With disciplined behavior until after Easter, there is hope for the summer.

“Then we will have the chance to experience June, July, August and then September with great joy, and after that we will hopefully be vaccinated.

Then this pandemic will be much smaller anyway, much less dangerous than it is now. "

The virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit said with a view to the British virus variant that the development was foreseeable.

You can see that in other European countries too.

It is positive, however, that it was still possible to significantly reduce the number of cases, said the virologist from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg in the ZDF “heute journal”.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210218-99-487744 / 2