Astrazeneca for everyone who wants it – SWR Aktuell

This means that anyone who wants to can now register for a vaccination with Astrazeneca. There is no longer any preference for certain age or risk groups. In Rhineland-Palatinate, however, this has hardly any effect on the vaccination process, a spokesman for the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Health told SWR. The currently delivered amount of vaccine is just enough to vaccinate the over 60-year-olds.

General practitioners decide on vaccination order

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) said on Thursday after consultations with his country colleagues that the general practitioners should now decide who should be vaccinated with Astrazeneca. The chairman of the state ministers, Klaus Holetschek (CSU) from Bavaria, said that in several countries it is already the case that Astrazeneca can be vaccinated flexibly in medical practices at the doctor’s discretion.

Cases of blood clots had led to uncertainty

The background to the task of prioritization is that in many places there is Astrazeneca vaccine left over because those who are entitled to vaccinate reject it. The remedy is currently only recommended for people over 60. Reason are very rare cases of cerebral vein thrombosis in younger people. However, younger people are free to be vaccinated with Astrazeneca.

But the uncertainty is great – also in Rhineland-Palatinate vaccination centers. Time and again, appointments with the vaccine are not kept, as vaccination centers in the country report. However, the district administrations do not speak of major failures.

Eligible vaccinators have many questions about Astrazeneca

The need for information has increased significantly, which is also reported by general practitioners. “Many have endless questions,” said Saulheim family doctor Barbara Römer in mid-April, when the discussion about side effects from the vaccine was particularly great. “People also go through the roof quickly.”

Facilitation for general practitioners and vaccination centers

Vaccination centers in other counties report similar things. As long as there was an obligation to vaccinate leftover vaccine only to those entitled to the current priority group, the effort was great. Phone calls and replacement lists had to be kept for hours in order to reach those who were entitled to be vaccinated. This will be easier now.

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