Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has been criticized from the ranks of the FDP and Union as well as the panel doctors for his insistence on recommendations for all age groups regarding a fourth corona vaccination.

The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) should be allowed to act independently of politics, said the health policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, Andrew Ullmann, the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”.

The chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), Andreas Gassen, told the Düsseldorf “Rheinische Post” that vaccination recommendations “must be made dependent on the scientific study situation, not on political or personal ideals or on vaccine availability”.

Lauterbach said at the weekend that he was expecting a total of four new vaccines from Biontech and Moderna that were adapted to variants of the corona virus for the fall.

By then at the latest there should also be clear announcements for the under 60-year-olds.

So far, the STIKO only recommends a fourth vaccination for people aged 70 and over and risk groups.

The minister has already advocated fourth vaccinations from the age of 60.

Opposition: Doesn't have much to do with science anymore

The FDP politician Ullmann told the daily newspaper "Die Welt" that he considered "Mr Lauterbach's pushing here to be out of place".

Politicians should not interfere in science and the work of STIKO.

The independent commission enjoys great trust from the medical profession and the general public and should not be questioned.

Lauterbach also criticized the opposition.

"The minister deliberately puts STIKO under public political pressure via the media," said Tino Sorge (CDU), health policy spokesman for the Union faction, of "Welt".

It doesn't have much to do with science anymore.

Kathrin Vogler, health policy spokeswoman for the left-wing faction, criticized: "It cannot be the task of the health minister - no matter how high his scientific expertise may be - to counteract the recommendations of the responsible scientific committee.