Corona pandemic: Adapted vaccines available from September 5th

In the case of corona vaccinations, the federal government plans to start with advanced vaccines for newer virus variants at the beginning of September.

Subject to the expected EU-wide approval, around 14 million doses adapted to the BA.1 variant are to come from Biontech and Moderna in the two weeks starting September 5th.

This emerges from a letter from Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).

According to study data, they also worked significantly better against the currently predominant BA.5 variant than first-generation vaccines, according to the letter available to the German Press Agency.

First, the "Spiegel" reported about it.

Specifically, five million doses of the BA.1 vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer are expected in the first two weeks of September.

The manufacturer Moderna will initially deliver 1.65 million doses and in the second week 2.38 million doses of BA.1 vaccine.

The preparations are to be delivered directly to pharmaceutical wholesalers.

Service providers such as medical practices and vaccination centers should then be able to order the two vaccines for the first time on September 5th.

"Risk groups should not wait any longer to get vaccinated, even if another vaccine will probably only be available a few weeks later," Lauterbach said in the letter to the vaccination campaign service providers.

If - as announced by Biontech/Pfizer - a vaccine adapted to the BA.4 and BA.5 variants should ideally be approved as early as the end of September/beginning of October, Germany should be supplied quickly with a first tranche of 9.5 million doses.

Booster vaccinations could become pandemic-determining

Lauterbach explained that the Standing Vaccination Commission is currently also dealing with study data on the adapted vaccines.

The aim is to come to an updated recommendation in a timely manner.

He also noted that an approved new inactivated whole-virus vaccine from Valneva will be available for healthcare providers to order starting September 5.

The European Medicines Agency EMA gave the green light in June.

The preparation of the French pharmaceutical company should therefore initially be approved for people from 18 to 50 years.

Lauterbach explained that despite the current summer wave, an increased number of infections must be expected in the cold season.

“The question of how we can convince people of the need for first, second, booster and now second booster vaccinations will have a significant impact on the further course of the pandemic.” At the same time, the minister referred to the plans launched by the cabinet for further corona protection specifications for the fall.

New FFP2 mask requirement possible

A hearing in the Bundestag revealed different assessments of the wider use of FFP2 masks.

The immunologist Leif-Erik Sander from the Berlin Charité said that FFP2 masks could effectively prevent the transmission of viruses over a longer period of time if they were worn well.

He believes that many people are now well versed in this outside of the medical field.

In autumn, a reduction in virus transmission is significant because the infection process can be negatively influenced and other measures can certainly be prevented.

The Hamburg virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit said in the hearing of the health committee that FFP2 masks have a significantly higher protective effect for trained medical staff who have very frequent contact with corona patients.

The decisive factor, however, is the correct use, which is largely not the case in the general population.

For them, an FFP2 mask requirement, especially in air and long-distance traffic, cannot be justified.

For the autumn, the federal cabinet had launched a draft that provides for more extensive rules on masks and tests from October 1st to April 7th, 2023.

Among other things, an FFP2 mask requirement in airplanes and long-distance trains should apply nationwide – so far simpler surgical masks have also been possible there.

The federal states should also be able to impose further protective requirements and expand them in a critical situation.

In the hearing, Rolf Rosenbrock from the Berlin School of Public Health proposed a large information campaign to teach many people how to wear masks correctly.