STIKO resolution on the 8th update of the COVID-19 vaccination recommendation and the associated scientific justification - 8 July 2021

STIKO recommends vaccination against COVID-19 with one of the two approved mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty from BioNTech / Pfizer, COVID-19 Vaccine from Moderna) or one of the two approved vector-based vaccines (Vaxzevria from AstraZeneca, COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen from Janssen-Cilag International). The vaccination against COVID-19 should be offered to all persons over the age of 18 years. As stated in the Epidemiological Bulletin 27/2021, the STIKO changes its previous recommendation of a two-time (ie homologous) Vaxzevria vaccination for ≥60-year-olds. It now recommends a heterologous vaccination schedule for ≥60 year olds (ie 1st vaccination with Vaxzevria followed by an mRNA vaccine at an interval of at least 4 weeks).