As the next corona wave slowly rolls in, the National Immunization Commission (NIG) is updating its recommendations – in full. Instead of a three-part basic immunization, only one vaccination is recommended for previously unvaccinated people. The reason for this is the infections that the population has experienced before. However, the recommendation does not change for people who have already been vaccinated.
For example, previously unvaccinated people who have been vaccinated with an adapted variant vaccine will also be considered sufficiently protected in the future. The Ministry of Health relies on the EU health authority ECDC, which assumes that almost everyone has had contact with Corona in the past three years – either through vaccinations or a previous infection.
Adapted vaccine already expected
The NIG has now incorporated this into a new version of the National Vaccination Plan. Only one vaccination is recommended in the coming fall, especially for those at risk and those over 60 years old. A vaccine adapted to the dominant variant Omicron XBB.1.5 is expected in Austria next week. On Friday, the European Commission approved the renewed corona vaccine from the Mainz-based manufacturer Biontech and its American partner Pfizer.
Vaccination possible from the age of 6 months
The NIG had been preparing the update for the past few weeks. For the corona vaccination, the experts generally recommend that people aged twelve and older get vaccinated with the new corona variant vaccines before the fall. Vaccination is particularly recommended for people over the age of 60, who are at increased risk of developing serious disease, and for healthcare workers. On individual request, vaccination from the age of 6 months is still possible.
For the best possible protection against a serious course of the disease due to Covid-19, vaccination in the coming autumn is sufficient – regardless of whether basic immunization has already taken place. In line with the recommendations of the European health authorities, it can be assumed that previously unvaccinated people will also be sufficiently protected by a single vaccination with the new variant vaccines, the ministry said.
Still “the best protection”
“Even if we have largely put the corona pandemic behind us, the virus will continue to worry us,” said Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens). “It still applies: vaccination is the best protection. Against serious diseases and before Long Covid.” Katharina Reich, Director General of Public Health, stressed that “with the existing immunity in the population, one vaccination in the future will be sufficient for effective protection against serious diseases”.
Also recommendations for further vaccinations
The National Immunization Commission has also updated the earlier application advice for vaccinations against meningococci and hepatitis A. Therefore, vaccination against hepatitis A is generally no longer recommended, but only under certain conditions, such as a travel vaccination. In the future, vaccination against meningococcal ACWY will also be recommended from the age of one year, as a replacement for vaccination against meningococcal C.
Source: Krone
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