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Fight against Corona What speaks for and against child vaccinations

Status: 06/22/2021 8:57 a.m.

The debate about whether children should be vaccinated against Corona is in full swing. Companies are pressing ahead with their studies for the approval of a vaccine for young children as well. What is the current state of research?

From Axel John, SWR

Just a few steps from the magnificent Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin is the rather inconspicuous Hausvogteiplatz. But what is sensational is what happens there in a sober office building. The Association of Research-Based Drug Manufacturers (VfA) has its headquarters here. The experts maintain contact with pharmaceutical companies all over the world – also when it comes to corona vaccine research, which is still under high pressure.

Particularly strict requirements for tests with minors

A team of specialists is constantly collecting the latest data from all over the world. Rolf Hömke is also there. The biochemist is an expert in research and drug safety. “When developing a new drug, it is standard that the preparation is initially only tested on adults. If these results are correspondingly good, studies with minors follow.” However, a prerequisite is a medical benefit in children and adolescents. Hömke gives an example: “A new antibiotic, for example, is also needed for children – but a preparation against prostate cancer is not.” Even higher requirements would apply to the tests in order to avoid stress in young people as far as possible. Both parents must have agreed together. The conditions also demanded that the children also say yes as soon as possible. “Money cannot be earned with such participation. The test subjects receive an expense allowance. The participants are mostly idealists or sick people who hope for an effective treatment.”

Intermediate results of the vaccine test series for children under twelve years of age BioNTech / Pfizer started a study in March 2021 with children aged six months and younger than twelve years. In the first phase, a small number of minors initially received different doses. In the current phase II, around 4500 young people are to be tested for the effectiveness of the vaccine in more than 90 facilities in the USA, Finland, Poland and Spain. Here researchers analyze the respective immune response. Results could be available from September.

Moderna reported the start of the phase II / III study in March. More than 6,700 children between six months and under twelve years of age in the United States and Canada are expected to participate. Here, too, it was initially about the best dosage. The effectiveness is then checked in the further course.

With the vaccine from AstraZeneca investigations began at Oxford University in February. Several hundred young people and children between the ages of six and under 18 should take part. The study has been temporarily stopped by the British authorities after reports of very rare side effects with thrombosis.

Janssen / Johnson & Johnson started testing his vaccine with adolescents aged twelve and over in April 2021. If the interim results are good, younger test persons should join the group. However, this study is also currently on hold.

Sinovac has been testing its CoronaVac vaccine in China since the beginning of May. In phase II, minors between the ages of three and 17 are to be tested here.

Source: VfA

STIKO sees no rush

Professor Dr. Fred Zepp follows vaccine development with great interest. On the one hand, Zepp is a member of the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO). The committee drew up the recommendations for the sequence of corona vaccinations. Zepp was also director of the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at the Mainz University Hospital for many years. He believes it is imperative that vaccines be developed for minors as well. This is particularly important for high-risk patients such as children with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases, emphasizes Zepp. “The mRNA vaccine process is an impressive development with excellent prospects. But we do not yet have any broad experience with children,” explains Zepp. For him it is important that the development of an adult’s organism is differentiated. The acute side effects can usually be recognized in the first twelve to 16 weeks. “With infants or children, on the other hand, I have an organism that is subject to constant development. That is why I say: We are currently under no time pressure in this group and should wait for further study results.” In addition, there are hardly any children in Europe who are seriously ill with Covid-19. Less than 80 children in Germany were being treated in an intensive care unit because of Corona. There have also been very few deaths that are even below the rate of flu. Zepp is also referring to a few cases in adolescents in the USA who developed heart muscle inflammation after the second vaccination with BioNTech. The authorities are currently investigating whether there is a connection. “The coronavirus will continue to change. I expect that the older population could also be affected here.”

“The pathogen spreads unhindered, especially in children”

In Munich, Matthias Kromayer leans over the latest results from corona vaccine research in children. The microbiologist recommends vaccinating minors according to the relevant studies and approvals – regardless of the vaccine. Kromayer works on the board of MIG AG. The company is currently investing in 30 start-ups. In 2008, BioNTech received a good 13 million euros as an initial investment from MIG.

For Kromayer, a vaccination rate of 70 to 80 percent in the population is the goal. “Then there is a good chance of paralyzing the spread of the virus and mutated variants. The pathogen spreads unhindered, especially in children. They are closer together and cannot yet adhere to the hygiene rules,” explains Kromayer. According to the Federal Statistical Office, there are more than 8.5 million people under the age of twelve in Germany. For Kromayer, this group is so large that it should not be ignored in the fight against pandemics. At the same time, children have a much stronger immune system that can deal with Corona much better. In this way, fewer pathogens would presumably be transmitted: “The vaccine side effects in children are likely to be very limited, but the resulting protection for other population groups is high. That should be weighed up.”

Politicians do not want to commit themselves yet

In Berlin, too, the Federal Ministry of Health has long since registered the emerging debate. Whether and to what extent children should also be vaccinated in the fight against Corona is still silent. Upon request, the press office simply declares: “The results of studies and possible approval by the European authorities remain to be seen.”

According to BioNTech / Pfizer, reliable results from the currently ongoing study series can be expected from September onwards. By then, at the latest, the discussion about the best vaccination strategy will really start

Corona risk when traveling On a vacation flight into the fourth wave?

Status: 06/18/2021 5:16 a.m.

Falling incidences and more and more vaccinated people, many people hope for a carefree vacation – almost without Corona. But does the travel wave threaten a setback for autumn like last year? Four experts offer advice on how to reduce the risk of a fourth wave.

By Stefan Keilmann, tagesschau.de

For weeks the number of new infections in Germany is falling , In addition, the vaccination campaign against Corona is making progress: Every second person in this country has already received the first vaccination . Many people are now all the more hoping for an end to the pandemic and a piece of normality. The tour operators register one Record increase in bookings , In many holiday regions in Germany, it is hardly possible to get hold of a room for the holidays.

But what does this mean for fighting the pandemic? Last summer, the incidences were also low, many people traveled within and outside of Europe – and some brought the virus back with them. According to In the meantime, every second new infection was due to a trip abroad due to a special evaluation by the Robert Koch Institute . But can the experiences from last year be carried over to the summer of this year that easily? After all, many people are protected by vaccinations – but there are significantly more contagious virus mutants such as the Delta variant . Therefore, experts are already warning against that there could be significantly more infections in autumn . How is vacation possible in the second Corona summer – and what has to happen so that there is no fourth wave in autumn? tagesschau.de interviewed scientists from various disciplines.

Ralf Bartenschlager, virologist

To person Prof. Dr. Ralf Bartenschlager is President of the Society for Virology and heads the Department of Molecular Virology at Heidelberg University.

“I think you have to differentiate here whether you are fully immunized – and by that I mean both vaccinations – or whether you have not yet been vaccinated or have only been vaccinated once. With a complete immunization, more vacation is certainly possible than with a missing or partial immunization, even if you can create a certain compensation through testing. Basically, the holiday destination should also be chosen carefully this summer. One should consider the incidence, the vaccination rate and the presence of worrying variants – such as the delta variant – in the destination area. We have to use the summer months to avoid a fourth wave in autumn / winter. The vaccination must be given priority here, and it must be complete. The latest results show that the second vaccination is very important, especially with regard to protection against the SARS-CoV-2 variants. In addition, we must minimize the entry of infections, especially with SARS-CoV-2 variants, as far as possible for those returning from abroad. ”

Kai Nagel, mobility researcher

To person Prof. Dr. Kai Nagel is a physicist and head of the Department of Traffic System Planning and Traffic Telematics at the Technical University of Berlin. With the help of a simulation model – which also uses real cellular data – he is investigating how the coronavirus spreads in schools, at work and when traveling.

“Our simulations show that, due to the rapid progress of vaccination and the summer, we are currently in a situation in which we have a certain amount of leeway for relaxation . the proportion of dangerous mutations is not significantly higher than in Germany. The same principles apply when traveling as here. First: Wherever possible, carry out activities (e.g. visits to restaurants) outside. Second: Wear masks indoors. And third: Avoid contexts with a high density of people. However, our simulations also show that an autumn wave is likely if the vaccination protection decreases due to a mutation. For this reason, tourist trips to regions with dangerous mutations should be avoided at all costs, and if they do take place, be bound to a quarantine (also for vaccinated / convalescent) after return. It cannot be assumed that this will completely prevent the entry of these mutations, but it can at least be slowed down. ”

Gérard Krause, epidemiologist

To person Prof. Dr. Gérard Krause is one of the leading epidemiologists in Germany. Among other things, he heads the Epidemiology Department at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig.

“How the epidemiological situation of the pandemic will develop in the second half of the year does not depend solely on how we organize the vacation time. What will also be decisive here will be the extent to which the priority target groups can be fully vaccinated and how well the vaccination against newly emerging variants of the virus and how the autumnal environmental conditions favor the spread of the virus again. Also important is how successfully the public health service will be able to contain local outbreaks that occur. To the extent that social restrictions on mobility and contacts no longer apply, the importance of case-related contact person management increases. To make matters worse, the health authorities may not be able to fall back on extensive staffing as they were recently. Well-focused and optimized processes are required here. ”

Clemens Wendtner, chief physician

To person Prof. Dr. Clemens Wendtner is the head physician for infectious diseases at Munich Clinic Schwabing. At the beginning of the pandemic, Germany’s first corona patients were in his clinic.

“Enjoy with common sense – that should be our motto for the summer. After months of restrictions, the longing for sun and distance is understandably great and the development of incidence allows us more freedom again. That is good and right, as long as we have the security with us Last year the number of cases increased after the holidays, in autumn we mainly looked after returning travelers at our wards. We have to learn from this and, particularly with regard to the mutations, continue to consistently link safety measures with the relaxation. And: We have to keep our vision through the sun’s rays, constantly advance the vaccinations in the summer, keep the vaccination speed high. The higher the vaccination protection in autumn, the flatter a possible fourth wave. Then we have a good chance that the months of restrictions will finally be a thing of the past. ” The Corona variants and their names The World Health Organization (WHO) is now using neutral names for the variants of the coronavirus. They are no longer to be named after the countries in which they were first discovered. With this, the WHO wants to prevent discrimination and stigmatization.
alpha The name of the variant that first appeared in Great Britain is B.1.1.7.
beta is the name for the variant B.1.351 discovered in South Africa.
gamma stands for variant P.1, which has been proven in Brazil.
delta refers to variant B.1.617.2, which was initially found in India.

Cruises start again The return of the dream ships

As of: 06/17/2021 3:52 p.m.

The cruise industry is trying to start over in small steps. Successful vaccinations and falling infection numbers are fueling hopes, but the way out of the crisis should not be an easy one.

By Thomas Spinnler, tagesschau.de

The cruise industry, along with the entire tourism sector, was one of the biggest losers in the pandemic. The entire business came to a standstill at times. The 7-day incidence values, which have recently fallen across Europe, and the vaccination campaign, the progress of which is becoming increasingly noticeable, are awakening hopes for a successful restart in 2021, both in the industry and among those interested in cruises. It is not excluded. Just yesterday, a cruise ship with guests left Hamburg for the first time in seven months . This morning went for the first time since the outbreak of the corona pandemic in front of Palma in Mallorca a cruise ship at anchor, the “Mein Schiff 2” of the German shipping company TUI Cruises. It is said to be the first of more than 20 who will be calling this port by the end of August.

“Time was used”

“The chances of a real fresh start for the cruise industry are very good due to the measures that have been taken,” said Helge Grammerstorf, National Director of the Cruise Lines International Association Germany (Clia) tagesschau.de firmly. The providers used the time to expand the security measures against Corona, to keep the ships ready for the incoming operation and to strengthen the sustainability measures.

However, the memory of what happened during the start of the pandemic last year is likely to be fresh for many. Hundreds of vacationers were stuck on board, some for weeks, ports refused entry – the sometimes dramatic images are not so easy to forget.

“Safer than in the supermarket”

That is why protection against corona remains the determining issue on cruise ships. Grammerstorf is certain that health protection on the ships is guaranteed. Individual corona cases cannot be completely ruled out. But both staff and passengers would be tested before boarding, during the trip and also at the end of the trip.

“In principle, it is safer on the ship than when shopping in the supermarket, since the ships are completely sealed off from the outside,” says the Clia director. This also applies to shore excursions, which take place in closed groups that are not allowed to be left. “In the very rare event that a person should test positive during the voyage, it is provided that all affected persons and their contacts are taken off board to protect everyone else,” says Grammerstorf.

The shipyards are also suffering

The industry is an important economic factor. In Germany alone, the ocean cruise business is worth billions. According to the association’s data, the area with around 48,000 employees generated around 6.6 billion euros in 2019. Above all, however, it represents 80 percent of orders from German shipyards.

The German shipbuilders were therefore hit hard by the crisis. Because many shipyards have specialized in the construction and maintenance of cruise ships. Jobs have also been cut, both at the shipyards and among the cruise lines.

“Offers are accepted”

According to Clia, according to the latest available figures from September 2020, around 28,000 jobs have been lost, more than half. If the industry returns to a reasonably normal and predictable course of business, many will return. No wonder, then, when the hope of a new start becomes more and more urgent.

According to Grammerstorf, the customers are very enthusiastic about the offers, there is a great demand for cruises: “Demand pressure has built up while it was not possible to travel. The pre-bookings for 2022 are also very encouraging.” A more precise forecast is currently not possible, as the countries are only gradually opening up and therefore many departures are scheduled at short notice.

High costs, hardly any income

The business will hardly be profitable at first. No income, or at best low income, is offset by high running costs. After all, the ships cannot simply be completely decommissioned when they are in ports or in roadsteads. Some of the crew must remain on board, the ships must be kept functional, which requires regular and intensive maintenance. In addition, the huge passenger capacities of the ships cannot be used to their full capacity despite the start of travel activity due to the corona-related distance rules. Higher costs, also because of the various protective measures, are offset by lower income, which would have to be offset with higher prices. “At the moment, the main thing is to show that cruises can also take place safely under Corona conditions,” emphasizes Grammerstorf. The cruise operators have to accept that it is likely to be a losing business, at least initially

Deliveries to companies Farms are waiting for more vaccine

Status: 14.06.2021 12:44 p.m.

Company doctors have been able to vaccinate their employees for a week. But the amount of vaccine allocated is nowhere near sufficient. In the second week, fewer vaccine doses are delivered than in the first. From Jens Eberl, WDR BMW has big plans. The automobile manufacturer has set up a total of 29 vaccination lines at its locations in Germany. In Munich alone there are six vaccination lines at two locations. The company said it could do up to 2,500 vaccinations a day. This means that the entire workforce in Germany can be vaccinated within a few weeks. The problem: there isn’t enough vaccine. A little more than 5000 employees were vaccinated in the first week. The situation is similar with the consumer goods manufacturer Henkel. A vaccination center was set up in a company building in the immediate vicinity of the factory premises in Düsseldorf. Up to 1500 employees per week can be vaccinated. In the first week, however, there were only 640.

Fewer vaccine doses in the second week

“Many companies have prepared themselves really well,” says Wolfgang Panter, President of the Association of German Company and Company Doctors (VDBW). “6300 company doctors are available nationwide and have ordered vaccines.” But it is only arriving slowly. The distribution is based on the number of company doctors in the company. Last week there were 102 doses per doctor. This week it should be 84. “Originally, 804 cans per head were planned, but it was clear that this would never be the case,” said Panter. The company doctors are now relying heavily on July. Here one reckons that the vaccination turbo will be switched on. Be prepared.

FAQ 06/08/2021

High demand from the staff

At Thyssenkrupp, vaccinations are carried out every five minutes at the Essen site, on four vaccination lines, with seven doctors from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Should more vaccine be delivered, vaccinations can also be carried out in the evening and on weekends and a 5th vaccination line can also be used. 50,000 people work at Currenta, which manages and operates one of the largest chemical sites. They had ordered 20,000 doses here; if these had arrived, the vaccination would be finished in two to three weeks. But only 3000 came. According to the company, the vaccination lines of Deutsche Telekom have a capacity of up to 10,000 vaccinations per week. Telekom has 89,000 employees in Germany. Due to the approval of priority group 3 by the federal states, vaccinations had already been carried out in the company. The company expects up to 30,000 employees to take advantage of the opportunity to be vaccinated by company doctors. Telekom has set up 18 vaccination lines nationwide for this purpose.

06/02/2021

IT facilitates rapid processes

Many companies have also adapted their IT to vaccinate. For example, BASF has developed its own online booking system together with an IT service provider. Employees can use this to register. The navigation along the entire Impfstraße is completely digitized from check-in to check-out. The vaccination center went into operation on April 14th. Up to and including Friday, around 16,000 BASF employees had received an initial vaccination. Initially, the vaccination sequence prescribed by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate was followed and priority groups II and III were vaccinated. Since June 7, all BASF employees at the Ludwigshafen site have been able to register for a vaccination appointment. At the Vonovia real estate group, a random generator determines who receives a vaccination offer for which location based on the activity performed. First, the random number generator selects employees with direct customer contact.

Prioritization canceled in many places

In the meantime, many companies have completely removed the prioritization. The Deutsche Post says that there is no longer any personal prioritization in the sequence of vaccinations. “Through the choice of location and the allocation of appointments, we ensure that employees in the operational area have at least equal access to operational vaccination appointments,” says the company. At RWE, employees have been able to make appointments using an online tool or by telephone since last Monday. RWE does not plan to prioritize vaccinations. The President of the Association of German Company and Company Doctors has established that every company has a different approach to prioritization. From his point of view, employees who are exposed to a higher risk should still be given preference, for example field staff or fitters; People who have a lot of contacts. Of course, you can’t dictate that, says Panter.

Laos injects three vaccines, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm, free of charge to the people. On June 15, Laos started a new round of free vaccinations for people to reach the goal of 50% of the population being vaccinated against Covid-19. Vaccination in Laos has slowed down for a while because the country has to balance both the amount of vaccine received as well as the increasing demand for vaccination of the people after the second round of Covid-19 outbreak in Laos. Laos in mid-April. The latest batch of vaccines that Laos received was on the afternoon of June 14, with the help of China with the amount of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine that arrived in Vientiane through Wattay international airport. This is the fifth time China has donated vaccines to Laos, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccines that Laos has received from China to 1,902 million doses. As of the afternoon of June 14, Laos had received 2,135,620 doses of Covid-19 vaccine from countries and international organizations, the first dose was given to 713,709 cases, the second injection was given to 394,679 cases. well suited. According to the Lao Ministry of Health, the country has started a new round of vaccination with specific regulations for different vaccines that Laos receives aid from countries and international organizations. Accordingly, from today, starting the first dose of Pfizer vaccine in Vientiane, this is the number of vaccines Laos received by COVAX on June 2 with the amount of 100,620 doses. This vaccine can only be administered in Vientiane because the Pfizer vaccine is the type that needs to be stored in special equipment. Subjects include three subjects who are over 60 years old, people with underlying medical conditions, and officials and civil servants with a high-risk working environment for Covid-19. In addition, starting today, Laos also deployed the first dose of Sinopharm vaccine after receiving another 500 thousand doses from China; Administer the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine to subjects who received the first dose. The latest information on June 15 published by the National Task Force for the control and settlement of the Covid-19 epidemic in Laos said that on June 14, Laos tested 2,025 cases, the results detected 15 positive cases. There are six cases of community transmission (in Vientiane Capital) and nine imported cases from Thailand (Champasak province and Savannakhet province). On June 14, there were 1,935 cases of entry into Laos, all cases entering Laos were checked for body temperature, taken samples for testing and isolated according to regulations (except for freight drivers). Since January 2020, Laos has tested 274,907 cases, detected 2,025 positive cases for SARS-CoV-2 virus (three cases have died). To date, 1,905 cases have been discharged, 117 cases are continuing to be treated. Currently, across Laos, there are 4,224 cases in isolation at 51 centers according to regulations. All cases in isolation centers have been sampled for Covid-19 testing.

Corona protection in companies Are employers allowed to force vaccination?

Status: 08.06.2021 7:13 p.m.

Since the beginning of the week, company doctors have also been able to vaccinate against Covid-19. But what about legally? Can companies require their staff to be vaccinated? And are they allowed to grant privileges to those who have been vaccinated? From Jens Eberl, WDR The companies have a great interest in preventing infections with the coronavirus and sick leave. This is why many employers want their employees to be vaccinated. With the start of vaccinations by the company doctors, various legal issues between employers and employees come to the fore. An overview.

Can the employer oblige his staff to vaccinate?

Employees only need to be vaccinated if there is a legal obligation to do so. There is no statutory vaccination requirement with Covid-19. “However, special features apply in facilities such as hospitals, prevention or rehabilitation facilities and medical practices,” says the Brühl-based specialist lawyer for labor law, Michael Felser. “They must ensure that all measures required by the state of the art of medical science are taken there to prevent infections and the spread of pathogens. Curiously, however, this does not apply in care facilities for the elderly, although the problem here is likely to be comparable”, so Felser. In the health care facilities mentioned, the employer cannot force employees to vaccinate either. However, he must ensure that non-vaccinated people pose no risk to patients. Patient protection can therefore make it necessary that non-vaccinated people can no longer work in certain areas.

Do employees have to inform the employer about their vaccination status?

Actually, there is no obligation to provide information about the personal vaccination status to the employer. However, the Gelsenkirchen labor lawyer Arndt Kempgens emphasizes that companies have to take corona protective measures for their employees. But they could only do that if the corona vaccination status was known. Kempgens concludes from this that in connection with Corona, under labor law – as an exception – there could be an obligation on the part of employees to notify the vaccination status and, under certain circumstances, to prove it.

Are vaccination incentives such as bonus payments from the employer permitted?

Employers could pay a “vaccination bonus”, for example through a one-off sum of money, vouchers or extra vacation days. Lawyer Felser says: “This is not entirely uncritical, because rewards can exert undue pressure not to exercise one’s rights. For example, courts have only declared rewards for employees who rarely get sick to be admissible under strict conditions.” The trade unions consider incentives for those willing to vaccinate to be permissible. However, they have a say in any case, as such a bonus is subject to co-determination. Kempgens emphasizes, however, that it must be fair: “There must not only be a bonus for those who don’t like vaccinations as an incentive to vaccinate, but if so, then for everyone.”

Can the employer exert “vaccination pressure”? Can the staff defend themselves against this?

If there is no statutory vaccination requirement, the employer cannot exert any pressure, neither with instructions nor with threats such as transfer or even warnings and dismissal. Such measures would be illegal. However, attorney Kempgens reports: “We are currently hearing more and more of such cases in legal practice. Pressure is exerted to convince those unwilling to vaccinate.” In extreme cases, employees can even defend themselves against this with an action for an injunction before the labor courts.

Are professional disadvantages possible if you don’t get vaccinated?

If there is no compulsory vaccination, the employer cannot differentiate according to whether someone is vaccinated or not or whether they have not wanted to be vaccinated in the past, as long as there was no obligation to do so. In medical institutions, however, the employer can reject applicants if they are not vaccinated and do not want to be vaccinated. Lawyer Kempgens, however, restricts: “Unvaccinated employees require other protective measures in the company and also lead to disagreements among the employees. For this reason, non-vaccinated employees will certainly not be preferred in the company in the near future.”

Are employers allowed to distinguish between vaccinated and non-vaccinated people?

“In my opinion, they even have to,” says Kempgens. “As with official measures, labor law restrictions are more difficult to justify for vaccinated people, while labor law protective measures have to be stronger for non-vaccinated people.” Felser believes privileges are conceivable, such as the earlier return of vaccinated employees from the home office to the office or the use of communal facilities such as the canteen. However, the incentive or pressure from such preferences should not be disproportionate.

Pfizer Pfizer,

Moderna Menard,

AstraZeneca AstraZeneca,

Janssen Johnson,

Sinopharm

And Sinovac-Coronavac.

All procedures for vaccination must be completed, and the last shot must be completed at least 14 days before travel.

European tourists who have not been vaccinated need to have a valid nucleic acid test negative certificate within 72 hours to enter the country.

On the other hand, the Spanish government stated that tourists from Australia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, China, Israel, the United Kingdom, Japan and other countries can enter Spain without completing vaccination or showing a negative PCR test certificate.

Tourists from countries at high risk of the epidemic, such as the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa and other countries, are not allowed to enter Spain if they have not received the new crown vaccine without necessary reasons.

The government expects that 15 million tourists will arrive this summer, accounting for 40% of the arrivals in 2019, but the number of tourists Spain will receive in 2020 will double.

(Source: Getty Images) National Advisory Committee on Immunity of Canada (NACI) on June 1 announced updated guidelines allowing the combination of preventive vaccines COVID-19 licensed in the country in most cases. Under the new guidelines, people who have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine can receive a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, unless they are pregnant. So far, Canada has allowed the use of 4 types vaccine against COVID-19 of pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. The new guidelines also say that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be used in combination for both the first and second shots. However, the NACI does not recommend a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine following the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for safety reasons and limited data on the use of this combination. Speaking at a press conference on June 1, Canada’s public health official Theresa Tam said, “NACI is working to quickly adopt new guidelines for vaccine use in the country to ensure optimal protection of people in the context of the changing epidemic situation.” Tam also added that although according to the new NACI recommendation that vaccines can be safely used in combination, people should use the same vaccine for two injections if possible, especially Pfizer’s vaccine. or Moderna. According to Ms. Tam, the use of vaccine combinations is not a new concept and has long been applied by public health to many vaccines. The updated NACI guidelines are based on current studies from Spain and the UK that show the combination of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines to be safe and effective against COVID-19. As of the afternoon of June 1, 2021, 21,942,111 Canadians, equivalent to 57.75% of the country’s population, received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 2,144,126 people, equivalent to 5.64%, second injection. The disease situation in the North American country is also continuing to decline with the number of new cases per day in the last 7 days being below 2,700 cases, the average death per day decreased to 39 cases. As of the afternoon of June 1, Canada recorded 1,248 new cases, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 1,382,822, of which 25,565 people have died. On the same day, according to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Buenos Aires, an adviser to Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, Cecilia Nicolini, said that she is considering the possibility of cooperating with Cuba to produce a vaccine against COVID-19 researched and manufactured by Cuba in order to prevent COVID-19 infection. distributed to the Latin American market. In an interview with Sputnik news agency, Ms. Nicolini announced that during the recent visit to Cuba by the Minister of Health Carla Vizzotti, the Argentine side was introduced to the progress in the process of research and development of vaccines. COVID-19 of Cuba, and affirmed Argentina’s desire to cooperate in the production of this drug so that it can meet the actual demand as soon as possible, not only in Cuba and Argentina but also in other countries in the world. area. Currently, Cuba has 5 candidates for COVID-19 vaccine, namely Soberana 01, Soberana 02, Soberana Plus, Mambisa and Abdala with very positive prospects, in which candidates Soberana 02 and Abdala have successfully finished the phase. clinical trials 1 and 2 with high rates of safety and efficacy. According to Nicolini, in the coming days, the Cuban side will present data analysis of the third phase of testing of these two vaccines and the two sides will conduct negotiations on the possibility of mass production. Currently La Soberana 02 and Abdala are the only two COVID-19 vaccines researched by a Latin American country that have entered the final phase of clinical trials.

Tourists arrive at Phuket International Airport, Thailand. Documentary photo: AFP/VNA Phuket Tourism Association President Phumkit Raktaengam said on May 24 that 94,000 people working in the province’s tourism industry will be vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, all people with household registration in the province are also subject to vaccination. Phuket has about 400,000 registered local residents. The island employs about 500,000 Thai and foreign workers in tourism and other businesses. Phuket’s vaccination program is expected to cover 70% of the population by the end of June so that it can reopen to foreign visitors in July. The resort island of Phuket will be the first Thai locality to reopen, followed by 10 other destinations in October. However, the Thai government only expects to welcome 500,000 foreign visitors this year. – a fraction of the 6.7 million visitors to the Southeast Asian country in 2020 and nearly 40 million in 2019. According to a forecast by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), the tourism industry, which accounted for one-fifth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, may have to It took 5 years, until 2026, to fully recover. Regarding the COVID-19 situation in Thailand, the number of deaths from COVID-19 in Thailand has surpassed 800, with 30 people recorded not dying on May 24. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand has recorded a total of 806 deaths out of a total of 132,213 people with COVID-19. The third COVID-19 outbreak since early April has accounted for nearly 80 percent of COVID-19 cases in Thailand and nearly 90 percent of all deaths so far. In recent days, Thailand has detected many COVID-19 outbreaks among construction workers in the capital Bangkok. Authorities last week also found 36 cases of a more contagious strain of the B.1.617.2 virus in construction workers’ quarters in Bangkok. On May 24, Thai officials confirmed a new COVID-19 outbreak at the construction site of an elevated tram line in Nonthaburi province bordering Bangkok. Test samples of 900 workers were taken on May 22 and confirmed results on May 24 showed that 519 workers were positive for COVID-19. Thai authorities say that most of the workers at the site are immigrants and will be quarantined at the site, while the Thai workers will be taken to a makeshift hospital. This construction site has been ordered to close since the evening of May 24.

According to the Reuters , OkCupid will join many major online dating platforms such as Tinder, Match and Bumble to participate in the US government’s vaccination incentive program. This is the latest effort by the Biden administration to attract young people to get the Covid-19 vaccine, thereby achieving at least one shot of the vaccine for 70% of Americans by July 4. A user opens the Tinder dating app. Photo: Reuters. “(People who have been vaccinated) will have their own certification badge, have a filter to find people who have been vaccinated, and can use many exclusive functions for free,” Mr. Slavitt said. Shar Dubey, CEO of Match Group, which owns dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid, said she feels “honored to work with the White House to increase vaccination rates across America”. “(Immunization) will help people meet face-to-face and interact in meaningful ways. It also makes dating safer for everyone and anywhere,” added Ms. Dubey. Last week, the White House also teamed up with two ride-hailing apps, Lyft and Uber, to provide free rides to people getting vaccinated against Covid-19. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the US currently has more than 33 million cases and nearly 590,000 deaths from Covid-19. The country has fully vaccinated nearly 39% of the population, or about 128 million people.

At BASF, the time has come: As of today, employees at the Ludwigshafen headquarters are the first company in Germany to receive a vaccination offer. Again SWR reported, a separate vaccination center was set up in the world’s largest chemical plant – with vaccination booths, waiting and rest rooms. This is a pilot project between the federal government and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. One is proud to be able to help to increase the vaccination speed, to relieve the health system and thus to make a further contribution to the fight against pandemics, said board member Michael Heinz, who is also the site manager in Ludwigshafen, in an interview with the SWR . BioNTech will initially offer the vaccine. At the start, according to BASF, 300 employees were given a vaccination appointment. The vaccinations are in the order specified by the state: initially only employees with previous illnesses such as diabetes. The group expects to be able to vaccinate up to 4,000 employees in the coming weeks. Overall, however, the group employs 39,000 people on the Ludwigshafen site. It is “just” a pilot project. From the point of view of the German economy, the vaccination rate could be significantly increased if, after the general practitioners, the company doctors finally got permission to immunize the employees in the companies against Corona.

Model projects also at Daimler and in Bavaria

There are also similar plans in other large companies. According to Daimler, for example, it has set up its own vaccination centers and vaccination lanes at its German locations. “As soon as the vaccine is available and the vaccination is approved for company doctors, Daimler will start a comprehensive vaccination program,” said a company spokesman. In the main plant in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, several hundred employees could then be immunized against the corona virus every five minutes. The group plans to use up to five vaccines, depending on the approval. The immunizations are to be carried out by more than 70 company doctors and more than 200 medical assistants across Germany. Other DAX companies, such as the Vonovia residential construction group, also declare that they are ready to be vaccinated. The board of directors said that a test lane had been set up in the company’s own casino, in which employees can be tested twice a week. “As soon as we get vaccines, our company doctors will also be able to vaccinate here.”

Bavaria is also starting a pilot project

Bavaria also wants to speed up the vaccination. In addition, Prime Minister Markus Söder announced a relaxation of the prioritization rules. By the end of April, company doctors in ten companies should be given permission to vaccinate employees against Corona. Several companies have already expressed their willingness to take part in the project. At the forefront is Allianz insurance, which has been pushing for weeks to be able to vaccinate its employees themselves. According to a company spokeswoman, the group has already set up 27 vaccination lanes at 15 central, large production sites nationwide and could in principle begin vaccinations. Company doctors are also available for vaccinations at Knorr-Bremse and the truck manufacturer MAN. However, it is only a pilot project in Bavaria, for which the Bavarian state government has only planned 50,000 cans. Because the first thing is to “test and improve the organization and processes in the companies,” says Munich. Companies are also still not allowed to purchase vaccines themselves.

Vaccinations have long been taking place in companies abroad

The big companies have long referred to their experience with vaccinations, since they have been offering their employees flu vaccinations for years. The large corporations can also fall back on the practice abroad, where they have already started corona vaccinations of their employees in some countries. VW boss Herbert Diess had already said before Easter that the group would vaccinate in Russia and Spain. The Friedrichshafen-based auto supplier ZF has started vaccinating its employees in Serbia. In France, many companies also offer their employees the option of being immunized by the company doctors. Deutsche Bank boss Christian Sewing goes one step further: The money house would not only like to use excess vaccine, but is also “basically ready to allow people to be vaccinated even if they don’t work for us,” he told the newspaper ” The world”. Because there was a lack of nationwide vaccine supply in this country, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn has so far refused the company doctors a permit. At the end of April, a meeting with the Association of Company and Company Doctors, VDBW, is planned to discuss how to proceed.

U.S. halts use of Johnson / Johnson vaccine

The implementation of johnson&johnson’s (J&J)one-dose Covid-19 vaccine was halted on April 13 when regulators announced they were reviewing rare cases of blood clots after receiving it. The move could prompt thousands of people expected to get the J&J vaccine this week to find an alternative.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) both recommend halting the distribution of the J&J vaccine after recording 6 cases of cerebral vein sinus thrombosis (CVST).

Illustration: Reuters

Symptoms are noted in women between the ages of 18-48 and appear 6-13 days after the J&J. vaccine injection. “Among cases of coaalysis in the U.S., one person has died and one patient is in critical condition,” said Peter Marks, head of the FDA’s Center for Biological Research and Evaluation.

However, stopping the use of the J&J vaccine in the US when there are only a few cases of blood clots has raised questions about over-reactions.

Speaking at the White House on April 13, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that the CDC and FDA have acted “with extreme caution” and stressed that the decision to recommend stopping the use of the J&J vaccine is only temporary.

“I don’t think they made the decision in a hurry,” Mr. Fauci said.

Despite this, the move left those planning to get the J&J vaccine confused and raised concerns that it could cause hesitation over covid-19 vaccination.

Earlier, 15 million J&J vaccines were damaged due to production errors at a factory. In Colorado, three mass vaccination points stopped using the J&J vaccine last week after 11 people reported symptoms of nausea and dizziness after receiving the vaccine.

For regulators, halting the use of the J&J vaccine has made it difficult to meet the urgent need for vaccines during the pandemic. When investigating the issue, U.S. officials must also try to maintain public confidence in the vaccination program. The suspension of J&J vaccination shows that regulators are taking potential issues seriously, but if they can’t find an answer yet, it could make people more concerned about vaccinations.

Link between J&J vaccine and cerebral vein sinus thrombosis

Cerebral vein sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a condition in which blood clots are formed in the veins and sinuses of the brain. This is a rare form of a stroke. In the general population, this symptom occurs in about 5 out of 1 million people. Symptoms of CVST include headache, blurred vision, convulsions, and loss of body control.

However, there are a number of factors that cause regulators to pay attention to cases of CVST after a single dose of J&J. Mr. Marks explained that, patients with blood clots also have tinglet reduction, the condition of tinglets in the blood decreases to very low levels, leading to bleeding and bruising. The combination of blood clots and low tinglets prevents patients from using common anti-coaculation treatments such as heparin, a blood thinner. That’s why health officials want to halt J&J.J. vaccinations until concerns can be investigated and give new guidance if necessary.

In addition, another factor is the cases of blood clots that occur in young women, who usually do not face a high risk of suffering from this disease.

The suspension of the J&J vaccine has been reminiscent of many European countries suspending all or part of the Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccination program due to fears of blood clots. In March, the European Medicines Regulator (EMA) halted distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine before allowing it to continue. Later, regulators concluded the AstraZeneca vaccine did not increase the risk of blood clots.

“This is a safe and effective vaccine. The benefits of vaccines in protecting people from the risk of dying and hospitalization from Covid-19 are far greater than the possible risks,” EMA Executive Director Emer Cooke said at a press conference in March.

Both the AstraZeneca vaccine and the Johnson /Johnson vaccine are based on modified adenovirus vectors. Adenovirus is a separate virus designed to provide DNA instructions to cellsto make the mutable protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

Nearly 7 million people in the U.S. who have been vaccinated with the J&J. Vaccine AstraZeneca are still under review and have not yet begun distribution in the U.S., even though the country’s government has purchased millions of doses of the vaccine.

The link between the J&J vaccine and symptoms of cerebral vein sinus thrombosis has not yet been clarified, but Vox has made several assumptions.

“Mutant proteins are produced using instructions from vaccines,” said Robert Brodsky, Director of hematological division at Johns Hopkins University. In some cases, mutating proteins can trigger the response of the immune system. That immune response can also damage the tinglets, causing symptoms such as blood clots.

In addition, if a spike in a protein can trigger this reaction, it is likely that the virus is intact that can also activate CVST in vulnerable people.

Rare complications that create major public health challenges

The Covid-19 vaccine has been tested on tens of thousands of people in clinical trials, and all three licensed vaccines in the U.S., Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, and Johnson & Johnson have all been proven safe, with levels of side effects being mild to medium.

Health workers prepare J&j’s Covid-19 vaccine shots in Detroit on April 12. Photo: AP

But as the number of people taking part in vaccine trials increased from thousands to millions, rare complications began to appear.

That happened to Pfizer/BioNTech after the vaccine was distributed to the market. Some people after vaccination experience a severe allergic reaction to the Pfizer vaccine. Similar problems also appeared with the Moderna vaccine. In January, the CDC estimated that the rate of allergic reactions to the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was 11.1 per 1 million vaccinations, while the rate of the Moderna vaccine was 2.5 per 1 million vaccinations.

Health officials have revised the vaccination process to screen people with a history of severe allergies. They also asked the person after vaccination to stay for 15 minutes for monitoring, as most allergic reactions occur during that time period.

Regulators can add screening criteria for people at higher risk for blood clots before getting the J&J vaccine.

It’s too early to say whether regulators will do the right thing when it comes to halting J&J vaccinations. Studying potential vaccine issues can boost people’s confidence in vaccinations, but can also cause confusion and fear of complications, making more people more vigilant.

What about those who have received the J&J vaccine?

Dr Fauci said that, for those who had received the J&J vaccine more than a month ago, they didn’t need to worry. However, those who have recently received the J&J vaccine and begin to have symptoms associated with cerebral sinus thrombosis should inform their doctor. “6-13 days after vaccination will be the time of symptoms,” Mr Fauci said.

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

According to the Ministry of Health, the man was injected with a vaccine produced at India’s Serum Institute. The patient has returned home and is in the process of recovering.

Earlier, Canada limited AstraZeneca’s vaccine use to people over the age of 55 due to concerns about the rare reaction. The above information is the latest challenge for vaccination in Canada.

In addition, Health Canada confirmed that it is in discussions with Johnson & Johnson about the possibility of a COVID-19 vaccine. The department has asked Johnson /Johnson for information on any cases of post-injection blood clots. The agency is also working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other international agencies on the issue.

Although Canada has licensed Johnson&Johnson’s vaccine, the vaccines ordered will not be shipped until the end of April. Canada is expected to get enough vaccines so that by the end of June, each citizen can get one shot. However, the rate of spread of the new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is surpassing the progress of vaccination in the country.

The number of new cases in the last week has increased by 33%, while the number of new daily infections is at more than 8,100, equivalent to the peak of the second wave of outbreaks earlier this year. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned more dangerous new variations were spreading rapidly and threatened progress had been made.

According to statistics worldometers.info, Canada has a total of over 1 million infections and over 23,000 deaths from COVID-19.

* Meanwhile, Australia announced that it will send Trade Minister Dan Tehan to Europe on April 15 amid reports that it has ordered more than 3 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine made in the European Union (EU) but has not received the goods.

Under the plan, Minister Tehan will have dialogues with his German, French and EU colleagues to discuss eu production and export limits on AstraZeneca’s vaccines.

Australia is one of the countries that succeeds in controlling the COVID-19 epidemic. Since the outbreak, the country has recorded nearly 30,000 cases. However, Australia is currently behind in its vaccination campaign. As of April 11, Australia had only vaccinated nearly 1.2 million people, despite a pledge by the end of March to vaccinate 4 million people.

The Australian government believes that the EU’s non-delivery of the vaccines it ordered by AstraZeneca was the cause of the delay in the vaccination program, but state authorities pointed out that the distribution of vaccines to health facilities also contributed to this situation.

Under pressure from public opinion, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would convene a cabinet meeting twice a week with state and territory leaders until the issue was resolved and put the vaccination program back on track.

Australia intends to vaccinate the majority of the population with AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which has imports from Europe and domestic production, while waiting for supplies from Pfizer and Novavax. The Australian government recently admitted it may not meet its target for COVID-19 vaccination for all residents next October due to import delays and new concerns about vaccine side effects.

* In Ireland, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the country is considering extending the vaccination period between Pfizer/BioNTech’s two doses to more than 4 weeks to maintain the vaccination progress, amid concerns that other vaccines such as AstraZeneca and Johnson /Johnson are being restricted from use due to safety risks.

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin confirmed he had given two shots against COVID-19. Speaking on television, Mr Putin expressed hope people would do the same to take care of themselves and their loved ones.

On March 23, President Putin received his first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Kremlin did not specify the type of vaccine the Russian President was vaccinated against, but insisted it was among three Russian-developed vaccines including Sputnik V, EpiVacCorona and CoviVac. In the interview, Mr Putin said he had suffered minor side effects such as muscle pain after his first injection but did not have a fever.