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Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) has announced bilateral talks with Russia - about possible deliveries of the corona vaccine Sputnik V, in the event of EU approval.

But you have to be very careful that this does not turn into a “mirage debate”, he said on Thursday in the WDR5 “Morgenecho”.

First of all, it is about approval by the EU.

"Russia must provide data for this." As long as this does not happen, there can be no approval.

The second question is then the order, said Spahn.

The EU Commission stated on Wednesday evening that it would not conclude contracts with Sputnik V as it would with other manufacturers such as Biontech.

"Thereupon I also declared in the EU Health Council for Germany that we would then also talk bilaterally with Russia, first of all about when and which quantities could come," said Spahn.

Spahn expects binding statements

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"To really make a difference in our current situation, the delivery would have to come in the next two to four or five months - otherwise we have more than enough vaccine one way or another." In this respect, he expects binding statements from Russia on "when." what quantity could actually reach Germany after approval ”.

Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff welcomes the plan to purchase the Russian corona vaccine Sputnik V. "This is the right way, I welcome the federal government's approach," said the CDU politician to the Reuters news agency on Thursday.

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The Chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission, Thomas Mertens, said in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin” that the published data on Sputnik V “look very good”, but he does not know what additional data the EU Medicines Agency EMA has.

"If the vaccine is tested and approved, I personally would have no objection to it."

Regarding the preliminary contract announced by Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) for bilateral Sputnik procurement, he said: "I am not so convinced that this should now be planned again as a Bavarian solo effort, if that is the case."

"We follow the recommendations of the Stiko"

According to Spahn, the AstraZeneca vaccine will continue to not be used in Germany in people under 60 years of age.

"We are sticking to the fact that we follow the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination," he said.

The EU medicines authority EMA continued to give the unreserved green light for the use of the vaccine on Wednesday despite very rare cases of blood clots in the cerebral veins of younger people.

The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) in Germany, on the other hand, only recommended AstraZeneca for people aged 60 and over.

"If we only had AstraZeneca as a vaccine and no alternative for those under 60 years of age, then when we weighed up - what is the recommendation - we might come to a different conclusion," said Spahn.

But since there are alternative vaccines, out of caution one can stick to the recommendation not to use AstraZeneca in younger people.

The chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission, Thomas Mertens, argued in a similar way in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”.