The Lesbian and Gay Association (LSVD) Berlin-Brandenburg has again demanded more monkeypox vaccine for the capital. “The willingness to vaccinate is high, but the vaccination supply is scarce. Berlin urgently needs more vaccine,” LSVD spokesman Christopher Schreiber told dpa. According to his impression, around two weeks after the start of the vaccination, at least the vaccination doses made available to the HIV specialist practices – 300 doses per practice – have largely been used up. “Nevertheless, there is still high demand that cannot be met at the moment,” says Schreiber.
According to the Senate Department for Science, Health, Nursing and Equal Opportunities, Berlin initially had 8,000 vaccine doses available, with later deliveries adding 1,500 more. Valid vaccination figures are not yet available.
The Federal Ministry of Health had ordered a total of 240,000 vaccine doses for Germany. Berlin, where there are comparatively many infections, should get a large part of these, the Senate administration confirmed on request. The exact Berlin share and the delivery date of the other cans could still not be mentioned.
Berlin’s State Secretary for Health, Thomas Götz (Greens), recently called for more monkeypox vaccines from the federal government. The German Aidshilfe (DAH) said on Friday that four times as much vaccine as previously ordered by the federal government is needed – i.e. around one million vaccine doses, in order to offer permanent vaccination protection in Germany.
The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) recommends vaccination against monkeypox for certain risk groups and people who have had close contact with infected people. She sees an increased risk of infection in men who have same-sex sexual contact with changing partners.
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Regarding the criticism expressed by many people, especially in the social media, that the vaccination appointments in Berlin are chaotic, Schreiber from the LSVD said: “As soon as more vaccine is available, a central app-controlled appointment would be desirable, as was the case with the corona vaccination campaign of the case was.”
The health administration announced that the focus was on showing all vaccination centers up-to-date and completely, and that they always tried to provide a user-friendly presentation. (dpa)
