A vaccine adapted to the omicron variant is apparently in sight: Minister of Health Lauterbach expects it to be ready in September. The new corona vaccines are intended to “significantly” reduce infection. He also straightened out his statements about the fourth vaccination.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach assumes that vaccines adapted to the new corona variants will be available by the beginning of autumn. "In September we will have adapted vaccines," said the SPD politician on ARD. There have been delays here, "but the good news is: They're coming." The adapted vaccines would "significantly" reduce the risk of corona infection.
The new vaccines would "essentially" be two different adapted vaccines, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health told the "Spiegel": On the one hand, a so-called bivalent vaccine, based on the virus variant BA.1. On the other hand, a vaccine adapted to variant BA.5. "Both will be available in sufficient quantities."
When asked when corona vaccines would be available for children under the age of five, Lauterbach referred to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). He cannot say when they will make an approval decision, but he hopes that this will happen "quickly". The data for the corresponding vaccines is “actually very good”. So far, there are only approved corona vaccines in the EU for people over the age of five.
Lauterbach also commented on the question of a fourth corona vaccination. Here the impression was created that he generally recommended such a second booster vaccination to younger people, which was criticized. But this is a "misrepresentation" of his opinion, said the minister. For people under 60, the fourth vaccination can only make sense in certain cases, especially if they have "a lot of contacts".
Lauterbach named people who work in a bar or in a workshop as examples. They should then talk to their family doctor about a possible second booster. He himself has already received the fourth vaccination because he has many contacts and his risk of infection is therefore "very high", said the 59-year-old. The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) currently recommends the fourth vaccination for people over 70, those who have previously been ill and nursing staff.
