Today, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended a third vaccination against the coronavirus for the BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. A third vaccination, or booster vaccination, is especially necessary for immunocompromised persons, as they are not sufficiently protected by the first vaccination. It should be administered at the earliest 28 days after the second vaccination. For persons over 18 years of age with a healthy immune system, this booster vaccination should be administered at the earliest six months after the second vaccination. This was pointed out by the health policy spokesman of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats), Dr. med. Peter Liese: "The third vaccination is expected to benefit especially immunocompromised persons, as these persons are not optimally protected even after the second vaccination and the vaccination effect wears off after some time. It therefore makes sense to offer this group of people, in particular, a booster vaccination promptly throughout Europe. Roughly speaking, the second vaccination reduces the infection risk of 80-year-olds to that of 50-year-olds. With the third vaccination, the 80-year-olds then become a little younger in the figurative sense. This means that the risk of dying from Covid-19 is greatly minimised."
Read more: European Medicines Agency recommends third vaccination by BioNTech and Moderna
“If we actually implement this package, climate protection will finally pay off. Companies that invest in climate-friendly technologies, will have better economic opportunities and, in particular, every individual who behaves in a climate-friendly way, will save money", this was the reaction of the environmental policy spokesman of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats) Dr. Peter Liese to the presentation of the Fit for 55 package of the European Commission.
"I very much welcome the European Commission's clear focus on market-based measures. We need incentives instead of command and control only. I am sure that the totality of all citizens will produce better ideas for climate protection than if every detail is prescribed by the state or even the European Union," the MEP stressed.
Read more: European Commission presents climate package (Fit for 55)
"Over the weekend, the European Union overtook the United States when it comes to the percentage of people that got their first shot,” announced the health spokesperson of the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP, Christian Democrats) Peter Liese, MD, based on data of Our World in Data. After many months of being ahead of us, the vaccination pace in the United States is very slow since already two months. On Sunday, 55.6% had gotten their first shot, in the EU is was 55.7%.
“I am very happy that after difficult months at the beginning of the year, the vaccination campaign in the European Union gained a lot of pace during the last months. Now it becomes clear that not only the pace of vaccination in the first months but also the long-term strategy is important. I am convinced that we have a good argument to explain to people still hesitating that the vaccine was properly tested in Europe. The European conditional market licencing foresees more safety than the emergency approvals in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Amongst others, it included liability for producers when they do a mistake.
“I am very happy that, according to the leaks and other information available on the ‘Fit for 55’-proposal, the European Commission is about to include many of the EPP-priorities for the ‘Fit for 55’ package,” said Peter Liese, environmental spokesperson for the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP/Christian Democrats).
Next Wednesday, the European Commission will present its long-awaited proposals to implement the 2030 climate target of net-55% with concrete actions. More than twelve concrete legislative proposals are to be presented. Most of them fall in the remit of the Environment Committee. “As far as I understood, the European Commission will make an ambitious proposal for the support of farmers and forest owners to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, for example, through afforestation. The methodology is designed to support farmers and forest owners through the common agriculture policy as well as private money through a carbon credit system. I very much welcome this idea. Climate neutrality can only be achieved if we not only reduce emissions but also remove carbon from the atmosphere, that is why it is so important to have a net target,” said Liese.
Read more: Market-based measures, innovation, green hydrogen