Anticipates Variety of COVID-19 Vaccines According to Stiko
As several different vaccines against the new coronavirus are expected to be approved in Germany, the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) at the Robert Koch Institute has already set up a working group to develop vaccination recommendations for the Corona pandemic.
The vice-chairwoman of Stiko, Sabine Wicker, stated that it is crucial to set a framework for recommendations before a specific SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is approved. She also noted that individual vaccines might be more suitable for certain population groups, such as the elderly.
Stiko's approach involves setting priorities for vaccination based on the highest infection risk and the groups that would benefit most from vaccination. When deciding the priority for vaccination, Stiko will consider the highest infection risk and the groups that would benefit most from vaccination. In the current case, groups particularly in need of protection include medical personnel, chronically ill people, and the elderly.
In 2025, the Pfizer-BioNTech LP.8.1-adapted COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be available upon European Commission authorization. This updated mRNA vaccine shows improved immune response against currently dominant variants and is approved for individuals aged 6 months and older. Other COVID-19 vaccines are also used in the EU, but Pfizer-BioNTech’s formulation is the prominent recently authorized option.
Regarding priority groups for vaccine distribution in 2025, Germany follows criteria similar to other EU countries, prioritizing high-risk and vulnerable populations. The priority groups include children aged 6 months to under 18 years in clinical risk groups, older adults, individuals aged 18 to under 65 in clinical risk groups, residents of long-term care homes, carers receiving carer’s allowance or main carers of elderly/disabled persons, close contacts of immunocompromised individuals, and frontline social care workers without employer health schemes.
Vaccination invitations are rolled out accordingly, with children’s vaccinations often administered through schools or catch-up clinics, while adults in priority categories are called for seasonal booster doses typically from October onward. This prioritization is designed to maintain protection as virus variants evolve and immunity wanes, focusing on those at greatest risk of severe disease or where transmission risk is high. All vaccine batches used in Germany comply with European Medicines Agency (EMA) quality and safety standards.
A photo of people wearing protective masks in front of a hospital was taken by dts Nachrichtenagentur.
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- In their vaccine distribution strategy for 2025, Germany, like other EU countries, puts a focus on health-and-wellness of high-risk and vulnerable populations, such as older adults, individuals in clinical risk groups, and frontline social care workers.
- As the Pfizer-BioNTech LP.8.1-adapted COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be available in 2025, the Stiko's working group will need to consider the medical-conditions of various population groups to determine if other science-backed COVID-19 vaccines might be more suitable for specific demographics, such as the elderly.
