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Doctor sticks plaster on the arm of a vaccinated person (symbolic image): The RKI has included the Covid vaccination in the general vaccination plan
Photo: Gelhot / Fotostand / IMAGO
The decision had already been made, now it has been officially confirmed: The new recommendations for corona vaccination have been included in the general vaccination plan of the Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko).
Specifically, the Stiko now advises the following:
Healthy people between the ages of 18 and 59 are recommended to have basic immunity. This consists of two vaccinations and another so-called antigen contact. This can be a vaccination or an infection. A booster is not encouraged, not even for pregnant women.
Anyone who is 60 years old or older should receive an annual booster vaccination in addition to the basic immunization. This also applies to people who have certain pre-existing conditions, children from the age of six months, residents of care facilities and people who work in the health system.
There is no longer a vaccination recommendation for healthy children and adolescents under the age of 18.
As early as April, the Stiko argued that children and adolescents rarely have severe courses and would therefore hardly benefit from immunization. "The risk of vaccination is extremely low among those under 18 years of age, but so is the risk of infection," immunologist Carsten Watzl said at the time of the Stiko's decision. "That's why the cost-benefit calculation for vaccination is not given." (You can read more about this here.)
Among the underlying diseases for which vaccination is still recommended are chronic diseases of the lungs such as COPD, chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver and kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases, as well as obesity.
Experts, for example from health authorities and professional societies, have been able to comment on the recommendation in recent weeks. However, a change was not expected.
koe/dpa