Booster chaos in Johnson vaccinated: What now applies in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony and other federal states

The booster campaign is running in Germany. As a rule, vaccinated people need a third vaccination – a booster vaccination against the corona virus. But who is actually considered boosted?

Berlin – The new corona virus variant Omikron turns the rules of the game in Germany upside down. In order to protect yourself optimally against Corona, a booster vaccination makes sense. Experts are convinced that the booster can significantly increase vaccination protection against the corona virus again*. However, the booster status is defined differently in some federal states.

In the case of 2G Plus rules, for example, those who have been boosted in Bavaria are exempt from a test obligation. But, for people who have been vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson, different rules apply in Bavaria than in Baden-Württemberg, for example. The states disagree. This is where it gets a bit confusing. An overview of the situation:

Covid vaccination protection: Classic “boosted” with three vaccination doses

In general, anyone who has received two doses of Astrazeneca*, Biontech and Moderna is considered fully vaccinated. Anyone who has then received a booster vaccination is considered to have been fully boosted. In Germany, the booster vaccinations are carried out with the mRNA vaccines from Biontech and Moderna*.

Special case vaccine Johnson & Johnson*: People who received the vector-based Covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson were considered fully vaccinated after one dose of vaccination. After a booster vaccination, however, they are currently considered boosted in some federal states such as Hamburg, Berlin and Rhineland-Palatinate (as of January 17, 2022).

In Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Thuringia, a booster vaccination from Johnson & Johnson is already not enough. Johnson & Johnson vaccinates are only considered “boosted” after a third vaccination. In Bavaria (see below), people with a Johnson & Johnson vaccination are only considered boosted if they have received a second vaccination with an mRNA vaccine and then a third vaccination with an mRNA vaccine. In the vaccination plan, Bavaria provides for an optimization of the basic immunization four weeks after the vaccination with an additional mRNA vaccination and then after three months a booster vaccination. Bavaria adheres to the current vaccination recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Committee (Stiko):

New regulations for Johnson & Johnson vaccinated people in Germany from February

A spokesman for the Minister of Health announced on Tuesday (January 18) that the requirements for Johnson & Johnson vaccinated persons are to be changed, as reported by the dpa news agency. Individuals who received Johnson & Johnson for their first vaccination will not be considered “fully vaccinated” until after a second vaccination. If possible, this should be done with an mRNA vaccine such as that from Biontech/Pfizer or Moderna.

This step is intended to comply with a Stiko recommendation (see above). This recommends that all people over the age of 18 who have received a first dose of Johnson & Johnson optimize their immunization with a second dose of an mRNA vaccine. A third vaccination also makes sense after the first Johnson & Johnson vaccination and a second vaccination, ideally with an mRNA vaccine, the spokesman said. The definition of Johnson & Johnson vaccinated persons in Germany is to be adjusted by the beginning of February. At the same time, the digital vaccination certificates are to be adapted to the latest EU regulations. In future, vaccination certificates in the EU will only be valid for nine months after the basic immunization.

Here is an overview of when you are considered “boosted” in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Berlin and Brandenburg:

When is one considered boosted in Baden-Württemberg?

In Baden-Württemberg, all people who have received a third dose after full immunization from Biontech, Moderna or Astrazeneca are generally considered to have been boosted. Immediately after the booster vaccination, boosted people are exempt from the 2G-Plus test obligation.

In Baden-Württemberg, all persons who are “only” fully vaccinated if the last required individual vaccination was at least 14 days and no more than three months ago are also exempt from the additional test obligation. Even those who received the “vaccination with the vector vaccine from Johnson & Johnson” less than three months ago are considered boosted under the 2G-Plus regulation in Baden-Württemberg.

In Baden-Württemberg, those who have recovered are considered to be boosted without vaccination protection in the sense of mandatory testing if their PCR test is not older than three months. Or, the vaccination was not more than three months ago for the recovered person.

Bayern booster protection: This special regulation applies to Johnson & Johnson

In Bavaria, the booster protection now applies immediately and directly after the booster vaccination. As mentioned above, there are special rules for people who have been vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson. Only after two more doses of an mRNA vaccine are these people considered boosted in Bavaria.

In Bavaria, those who have recovered are considered boosted if they were infected with Corona before the first vaccination and were then vaccinated twice. Anyone who became infected after the first vaccination and received a second vaccination three months after recovery is also considered to have been boosted. In addition, a breakthrough infection replaces a booster vaccination. So anyone who has been vaccinated twice and is still ill with Corona is initially considered to have been boosted.

In the video: Booster status despite Johnson vaccination: These rules apply to 2G-Plus

Boosted? That applies in Bavaria

Berlin: When is the 2G Plus rule considered boosted in the capital?

In Berlin, people have to adapt to stricter corona rules. In gastronomy and in other areas, such as culture and leisure, the 2G Plus rules have been in effect since Saturday (January 15).

Johnson & Johnson rule in Berlin

In Berlin, all three times vaccinated as boosted. Also, anyone who has received another dose of an mRNA vaccine at least 28 days after receiving a Johnson & Johnson vaccination. “In the case of a primary immunization with the Janssen vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, there should still be at least 28 days between the primary immunization and the booster vaccination.” (As of January 11, 2022).

Anyone who was infected with Corona before being vaccinated should be vaccinated in Berlin three months after recovery. A booster vaccination can be given every three months.

A vaccination breakthrough does not currently replace a booster vaccination in Berlin. Anyone who has been vaccinated twice, has been infected with Corona and has recovered is not considered to have been boosted. You should have a booster shot every three months. This recommendation is independent of the number of previously received vaccine doses, according to the Stiko recommendation.

Brandenburg

In Brandenburg, the topic of boosters is treated in the same way as in Berlin. People who have been vaccinated three times are traditionally considered to have been boosted. At Johnson & Johnson, there must be a 28-day interval between the primary vaccination and the booster vaccination.

When is one considered boosted in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) with the 2G Plus rule?

Anyone in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) who has received a third vaccination with Biontech and Moderna after the basic immunization with Biontech, Moderna or Astrazeneca is considered to have been boosted. With the booster, people are exempt from the obligation to test under the 2G Plus rule on the same day.

Johnson & Johnson is a special case in North Rhine-Westphalia: Anyone who was vaccinated with Jansen’s single vaccine now needs two more doses of vaccine to be considered boosted. So a total of three vaccinations are necessary to be exempt from the test requirement. That’s a change! Previously, another dose of vaccination was sufficient as a booster vaccination in NRW.

Anyone who has been vaccinated twice is now also put on an equal footing with those who have been boosted and are exempt from the test requirement – if the vaccination was more than 14 days and less than 90 days ago.

Other exceptions to the mandatory test in NRW:

Saxony: When are Johnson & Johnson vaccinated people considered boosted?

In Saxony, all people who have received a third vaccination with Biontech and Moderna after a basic immunization with Biontech, Moderna or Astrazeneca are considered boosted. People who have received a vaccination with an mRNA vaccine after vaccination with Johnson & Johnson are also considered boosted. Anyone who has been vaccinated twice and is still infected with Corona and recovered is considered boosted in Saxony.

Saxony-Anhalt: Everyone has to be tested

The strictest variant of the 2G-Plus rule applies in Saxony-Anhalt: “Adults who have already received the booster vaccination or who can show proof of recovery are not subject to the additional test requirement in Saxony-Anhalt under the 2-G-Plus access model released,” the ministry said. All people, whether boosted or recovered, must continue to be tested. The federal state is therefore not included in the lists (see below).

Johnson & Johnson vaccinates: In these federal states you are considered boosted after an mRNA vaccination (as of January 17, 2022)

Johnson & Johnson: In these states, three vaccinations are required for booster status

Do we need a fourth vaccination to stop the corona pandemic? Currently everything revolves around the third dose, the booster. Israel is already inoculating the booster-booster. Who should get a fourth corona vaccination?

The corona pandemic is to be combated more vigorously in many parts of Germany with 2G-Plus. Which documents have to be presented depends on the individual status. (ml)*Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA