Covid in Germany: AstraZeneca vaccine could be given to all adults
56% of Germans last month did not consider AstraZeneca to be safe.
Marco Bertorello AFP / Archivos
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
The AstraZeneca vaccine is somewhat of the unloved among the products available today to protect against Covid-19.
This is also the case in Germany where it is normally reserved for over 60s.
But Berlin decided on May 6 that this rule would be lifted and that the vaccine could be administered to any adult unless contraindicated, a measure already practiced in different regions.
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With our correspondent in Berlin,
Pascal Thibaut
56% of Germans last month did not consider AstraZeneca to be safe.
The vaccine, here as elsewhere, has raised concerns after cases of cerebral thrombosis and erratic decisions by the vaccine authority.
Today, the latter recommends the use of this product for those over 60 without prohibiting it for the youngest if the patient is sufficiently informed of the theoretical risks. Deliveries of this product are significant and to prevent it from remaining used and the vaccination campaign slowing down, several regions had already decided to offer AstraZeneca to all adults regardless of their age, profession or medical history.
It is important to keep an eye on current developments and to constantly question how to optimize the vaccination campaign. This once again includes the question of how we can get the population vaccinated as quickly as possible with the four safe and effective vaccines approved for the European Union and by Germany. This is why we have agreed today to completely remove the prioritization of the AstraZeneca vaccine. This means that when vaccinating in the doctor's office, it will be up to the doctor to decide who should be vaccinated and when. He will discuss with his patient whether the AstraZeneca vaccine is the right vaccine for him or not. After being informed by their doctor if the person wishes, they can then be vaccinated.
Jens Spahn
Oriane Verdier
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Health Minister Jens Spahn therefore decided on Thursday with his regional counterparts to extend to the whole country what was valid in a few Länder.
Liberal doctors will therefore be able to administer AstraZeneca to any adult if they consider that there is no medical contraindication against it.
The minister also pleaded for a reduction in the interval between the two injections of this vaccine which is normally three months, a proposal criticized by experts.
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Germany
Vaccines
Coronavirus