Germany continues to vaccinate against the corona virus, and booster vaccinations are also being discussed. Drosten does not think this is necessary for everyone. The corona numbers are increasing.
- The Corona * numbers continue to rise: Thursday morning the seven-day incidence * according to the RKI was 44.2.
- Virologist Drosten believes that booster vaccinations in autumn are only necessary for certain groups.
- This news ticker on the corona situation in Germany is continuously updated.
Berlin – Virologist Christan Drosten spreads good news for those who have been vaccinated: “The protective effect of the corona vaccines is much better than, for example, the influenza vaccines,” he told the German Press Agency. In his opinion, therefore, no booster vaccination is necessary in the autumn for the majority of those who have been vaccinated. And one more thing pleased: Drosten does not expect the imminent emergence of a new virus variant that is resistant to the available vaccines.
Drosten believes it is sensible to refresh the elderly and certain risk patients in the coming months. “After six months, the antibody level acquired through the vaccination goes down significantly, especially in very old people.” In special situations such as retirement homes, a refresher is therefore conceivable. In terms of numbers, this would hardly conflict with the international scarcity of vaccines – because this point is currently being discussed lively: some rich countries are vaccinating their populations a third time, while others have not yet given up on the active ingredients.
Corona in Germany: booster vaccinations necessary? Some countries start while others don’t have a vaccine at all
For the rest of the population, an age level may be defined at some point, from which a booster vaccination makes sense, said Drosten. “This autumn, however, it is important to first close the vaccination gaps for those over 60 years of age.”
The US government announced on Wednesday that it would probably provide the entire American population with booster vaccinations against the corona virus from September. Citizens should get a third dose around eight months after completing their first two vaccinations with the preparations from Moderna or Biontech * / Pfizer, high-ranking health officials announced. The background to this is the spread of the particularly contagious Delta variant as well as data evaluations, according to which the protection provided by the vaccines diminishes over time. Booster vaccinations are already being carried out or are planned for certain groups in other countries and in some cases in Germany as well.
The World Health Organization (WHO) criticizes such plans for booster vaccinations in healthy people. Soumya Swaminathan said on Wednesday that it was not even clear whether they were necessary. WHO Emergency Aid Coordinator Mike Ryan said that offering people a booster vaccination is like giving people with life jackets another vest, while many millions of people are left without any protection.
Corona numbers on Thursday: the seven-day incidence is increasing
In Germany, the seven-day incidence continues to rise. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) * on Thursday morning, it was 44.2 – the previous day the value was 40.8, a week ago it was 27.6. The health authorities in Germany reported 8,400 new corona infections to the RKI within one day (as of August 19, 3.14 a.m.) . According to the new information, 22 deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours.
Despite corona vaccination in inpatient treatment: For example, patients with a restricted immune response
Meanwhile it has been shown: Most Covid patients in German clinics do not have a corona vaccination, according to an intensive care doctor. The Cologne intensive care doctor Christian Karagiannidis told the newspapers of the Funke media group that there are also cases of vaccinated corona patients in inpatient treatment. “We currently have 12 to 13 percent of Covid patients in clinics with vaccination protection in North Rhine-Westphalia. This quota should also correspond to the nationwide quota, ”said Karagiannidis. The majority are treated in the normal wards, but there are also individual cases in the intensive care units.
In his experience, the inpatiently treated people with breakthroughs in the vaccination are patients with a restricted immune response, for example as a result of drug dampening of the immune system. It is important that patients who have a subdued immune system are offered a third vaccination as a booster, he thinks again. Karagiannidis said that the Divi Intensive Care Register will in future also collect and publish information about the vaccination status of Covid patients in the intensive care units. He is the scientific director of the intensive care register of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive and Emergency Medicine (Divi). This register records, among other things, how many Covid 19 patients are in the intensive care units and how many intensive care beds are free. (dpa / cibo) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
List of rubric lists: © Jörg Carstensen / dpa
