The Federal Ministry of Health wants to rely more on Moderna and less on Biontech for booster vaccinations. Critics speak of a handbrake and a bad joke.
Bavaria’s Minister of Health Klaus Holetschek protests against a limit on Biontech deliveries announced by the Federal Ministry of Health. That was unacceptable, said the CSU politician of the German press agency in Munich.
Holetschek, who is also chairman of the conference of health ministers (GMK) of the federal states, now wants to put this on the agenda of the GMK deliberations planned for Monday. “That has to be discussed and resolved.” Politicians from the Greens and the FDP as well as the German Foundation for Patient Protection criticized the project.
In a letter to the federal states, the Federal Ministry of Health emphasized that enough vaccine would also be available for booster vaccinations by the end of the year. In addition to the preparation from Biontech / Pfizer, that from Moderna should be used more and more. Otherwise, stored Moderna cans threatened to expire from the middle of the first quarter of 2022, but this must be avoided.
Maximum limits for Biontech orders
For Biontech, therefore, “maximum order quantities” should be defined, as it says in the letter. For the time being, practices should be able to order a maximum of 30 doses per week, vaccination centers and mobile vaccination teams 1020 doses. It is emphasized: “Orders for Moderna vaccine are not subject to a maximum limit and fully supplied.”
The federal and state governments have jointly determined that a large, joint effort is now required to vaccinate, said Holetschek. “All federal states will tackle this with all their might.” First and second vaccinations are important, but especially the booster vaccinations. If one now hears that the Biontech vaccine should be restricted, that is “absolutely unacceptable and destroys the necessary trust that the citizens must have in us in this highly dramatic situation”. This is not only unacceptable for the vaccination centers, but above all for the medical profession, who have geared all planning to it.
FDP: Must be a bad joke
The two vaccines, Biontech and Moderna, are considered to be equivalent, the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) also sees it that way. In their current recommendation, however, it says: “For the booster vaccination, the mRNA vaccine that was used for the basic immunization should be used if possible.” If this is not available, “the other mRNA vaccine can also be used”. Biontech is by far the most frequently used vaccine in Germany to date. The medical profession is therefore now expecting a significantly increased need for advice in the practices.
The Greens health expert Janosch Dahmen wrote on Friday evening on Twitter about the project: «We shouldn’t do that! We need anything but a handbrake when vaccinating. ” The Biontech vaccine is particularly well tolerated by young people. “The choice between different vaccines also plays a role when deciding on the important first vaccination.”
FDP parliamentary group vice Michael Theurer said: “That must be a bad joke.” Massive vaccinations are needed to ensure the booster effect in the short term and to increase the vaccination rate. “Defining maximum quantities here is absolutely counterproductive and sends a completely wrong signal. Everything that can be inoculated must be inoculated. “
Source From: Stern
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