Who should be vaccinated against Corona in the future, when and how often? The Stiko has now laid this down in new recommendations. Large parts of the population are therefore spared another injection.
In view of the weakened pandemic situation, the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) no longer recommends corona vaccination for healthy infants, children and adolescents. No further booster vaccinations are recommended for healthy adults up to the age of 59 and pregnant women – but they should have achieved basic immunity. People over 60, on the other hand, should get an annual booster. This is what the renewed recommendations for the Stiko Covid 19 vaccination, which the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) published on Thursday, provide.
With the innovations, Stiko is including the Covid-19 vaccination in its general vaccination recommendations for 2023. So far, the committee had made separate Covid 19 vaccination recommendations during the pandemic, which were repeatedly adapted. The current step can be seen as a kind of transition from pandemic to normal mode.
The Stiko at the RKI had already presented the recommendations at the end of April. The draft decision was then sent to the federal states and specialist groups.
The RKI continues to recommend corona booster vaccinations for people in care facilities
In the final recommendations, Stiko justifies the discontinuation of the vaccination recommendation for under 18-year-olds with predominantly mild courses and the small number of hospital admissions.
In addition to people over the age of 60, the booster recommendation also applies to residents of care facilities and people with certain previous illnesses from the age of six months, as well as to people who work in medicine and care and therefore have an increased risk of infection. Family members and close contacts of people for whom the vaccination is unlikely to have a protective effect should also receive further booster vaccinations. The preferred time is autumn, as known from the flu vaccination.
“The aim of the Covid-19 vaccination continues to be to reduce severe disease progression, hospitalization and death as well as long-term consequences after Covid-19 in the entire population,” the recommendations say.
Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, more than 38.4 million Covid-19 infections and around 174,000 deaths have been registered in Germany (as of May 25). According to the RKI, the number of cases has been falling significantly since the beginning of this year.
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According to the RKI, many people in Germany have built up basic immunity: through at least two vaccinations plus a booster vaccination or infection. The authority estimates that at least half of the population in Germany has had a corona infection. Most people are vaccinated.
However, the RKI does not give the all-clear: New virus variants – from which infections that have been passed or a vaccination may provide less protection – could continue to appear. In addition, it is not reliably known how long the previous vaccination protects. How the situation will develop in the future is therefore unpredictable.
Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
