Germany recommends combination of AstraZeneca, mRNA shots

Germany is recommending that all people who get a first shot of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine switch to a different of vaccine for ir second shot. aim is to increase speed and effectiveness of vaccinations as more contagious delta variant spres.

Health Minister Jens Spahn conferred with his colleagues from Germany's 16 states on Friday, day after country's standing committee on vaccination issued a draft recommendation. In a statement, committee said that “according to current study results,” immune response from a mixture of AstraZeneca with an mRNA vaccine was “significantly superior” to that from two doses of AstraZeneca.

It recommended that second dose with an mRNA vaccine — Germany uses those me by BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna — be ministered four weeks or more after first AstraZeneca shot. That is much shorter than nine to 12 weeks committee recommends between two doses of AstraZeneca.

committee, known by its German acronym STIKO, didn't detail what studies its conclusion was based on. Germany's disease control center noted that it was a draft, and that a final recommendation with more detail and sourcing will follow. Researchers have said that mixing vaccines is likely safe and effective, but are still garing data to be sure.

German authorities alrey decided in April that under-60s who h received a first AstraZeneca shot should as a rule get a second shot of an mRNA vaccine. decision came after AstraZeneca vaccine was linked to extremely rare blood clots in younger people. Germany recommends that under-60s consult with a doctor before taking it.

Spahn said Friday that enough mRNA vaccine is available to implement new recommendation quickly and that it “makes AstraZeneca vaccine more attractive,” with large quantities now arriving and prospect of a much shorter wait for second shot.

He said he of STIKO told ministers that combination of AstraZeneca and BioNTech “protects as least as well as BioNTech-BioNTech as a combination, in some cases even better.” But he also stressed that two doses of AstraZeneca give good protection. BioNTech-Pfizer has been mainstay of Germany's campaign, with AstraZeneca a distant second in terms of doses ministered.

Germany is keen to keep upping pace of its vaccination campaign even as new infections have sunk to ir lowest level in months, pointing to rise of delta variant. Authorities believe it now accounts for more than half of new cases, and are keen to ensure that people get ir second vaccine shots.

“Only double-vaccinated protects well against delta,” except in case of single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Spahn said.

As of Wednesday, Germany h given at least one shot to 55.1% of its population, and 37.3% were fully vaccinated. “That's a good figure, but it's still not enough,” Spahn said.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is 66, recently received a second shot of Moderna's vaccine after taking a first shot of AstraZeneca. Her spokesman said that was a conscious effort to encourage people not to be afraid if y are vised to get a mix of shots.