The EU recommends a second booster vaccination for everyone over 60. Minister of Health Lauterbach has already suggested it to younger people. The fact that the exactly 60-year-old head of statutory health insurance doctors says he will forego his next booster does not fit in there.
Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach was annoyed by statements made by the head of statutory health insurance doctors, Andreas Gassen, about the corona vaccination. "I think it's problematic if the impression is given that vaccination for older people in the fall isn't necessary," the SPD politician told the editorial network Germany. At least for the over 60-year-olds, it is undisputed that the booster injection is important "to prevent serious illnesses or even deaths". He expects a medical official to "make that clear".
Gassen is the chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and is 60 years old. He's right there, but not over the age limit. He had said in an interview that he saw no need for a booster vaccination: "In any case, I won't have a second booster."
At the same time, Lauterbach rejected criticism from Gassen of the extensive ordering of vaccine doses by the federal government. Gassen had predicted that vaccines worth up to 100 million euros would have to be thrown away because of inflated estimates.
"Apparently Mr. Gassen already knows which vaccine is needed and preferred in the fall," countered Lauterbach ironically. In fact, this is not known. That's why the government ordered several vaccines in parallel: "We bought in such a way that we can definitely offer everyone the vaccine that will be the best," said Lauterbach. "That's right," affirmed the SPD politician: "Nobody can be expected to say: We don't have the most effective vaccine, but let yourself be vaccinated anyway!"
