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Munich (dpa / lby) - Bavaria's statutory health insurance physicians see the release of the Astrazeneca vaccine for all age groups as an important step towards herd immunity.
Now the vaccine can be used in interested younger patients who are suitable from the doctor's point of view, said a spokesman for the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Bavaria (KVB) on Thursday in Munich.
"It is a first step out of prioritization towards a general vaccination offer and herd immunity."
Whether or not the doctor’s practices have enough vaccine available cannot yet be answered “seriously,” said the spokesman. According to the vaccination monitor of the Central Institute of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, Bavarian vaccination centers and practices were available as of Tuesday around 247,000 Astrazeneca vaccination doses. How much of it was covered for patients over 60, the KVB is not known, said the spokesman. "In principle, the following still applies: the practice informs patients when a vaccination offer is available."
Bavaria had released the Astrazeneca vaccine in doctors' offices on Wednesday for all age groups.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony had previously made the same decision.
Because of the very rare occurrence of blood clots (thrombosis), the Astrazeneca vaccine in Germany has generally only been used in people aged 60 and over since March 31.
Under 60-year-olds can continue to be vaccinated with it «at the discretion of the doctor and with an individual risk analysis after careful explanation».
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Bavarian vaccination center