Germany has opted to lift the priority list for the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, meaning that all adults who are willing to have the shot can apply for an appointment.

AstraZeneca available to all adults in Germany

Federal and state officials agreed on Thursday that AstraZeneca vaccines should no longer be limited to people aged 60 and older. The official recommendation is still that over-60s only should receive the jab, but adults of any age may now request it after a consultation with a doctor. 

Some states, including Berlin, Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony, have already opened up the vaccine to all adults, but now Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn has pushed for all of Germany’s federal states to follow suit. He confirmed on Thursday evening that all of the state health ministers were in agreement. 

Gap between first and second jab to be reduced

He also said that the interval between the first and second jabs - currently 12 weeks - would be more flexible in future, meaning that doctors would be allowed to administer the second dose as soon as four weeks after the first. By allowing people to achieve full immunity more quickly, it is hoped that the popularity of AstraZeneca will be given a boost. 

“This means that when it comes to vaccinations in doctors’ surgeries, it is the doctors who decide who is to be vaccinated and when,” Spahn said, adding that it was a matter of being able to “exercise more pragmatic flexibility.” 

The change still needs to be given final approval. Once passed, it will ensure that rules regarding the distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine are uniform across the country.