As autumn approaches, Germany has reentered the season when respiratory infections increase, but recommendations for anti-vaccination COVID-19 this year is more limited than before.
Robert Koch Institute, RKI, reports that the International Taxation Commission, STIKO, has changed the recommendation for the annual dose against COVID-19. Standard seasonal vaccine is now recommended for persons 75 years old and older, while earlier the border was 60 years old.
The recommendation continues to include younger people with existing diseases and therefore greater risk to a serious form of COVID-19. The recommended groups also include residents of care institutions and other categories at increased risk.
WEB. STICO also recommends vaculation for hospital personnel or care institutions with endangered patients, as well as for those who have close contact with people with whom a poor immune response is expected.
The change is related to how the epidemiological situation evolved.
RKI explains that a large part of the adult population has already created hybrid immunity from the combination of vaccines and previous infections. According to the institute, hospitalisations and deaths related to COVID-19 currently focus mainly on persons over 75.
For this reason, STIKO has also removed earlier recommendation aimed at creating a basic immunity through at least three contacts with SARS-CoV-2 antigen, whether through vaccine or infection.
Meanwhile, experts warn that the season of respiratory viruses has already begun.
WEB. DE, citing German experts of epidemiology and virology, reports that the currently circulates mainly common cooling viruses, while COVID-19 usually intensifys afterwards. The flu and RSV are expected to play a greater role towards the end of the year and early next year.
STIKO says that those for whom the vaccine is recommended should receive a dose adapted to current variants once during the season. According to W EB. D.D., vaccine against COVID-19 can be done in the same period with other vaccines, including the one against the flu, using different wings.
The change is important for millions in Germany: annual vaccine against COVID-19 is no longer recommended standardly for all persons over 60, but the focus has shifted to over 75-year-olds and other groups at added risk.
