Table 4 Description of intervention arms

In Germany, the Paul Ehrlich Institute monitors the safety of vaccines and biomedical drugs. On March 15, 2021, the Paul Ehrlich Institute recommended the temporary suspension of vaccinations with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. There has been an increased incidence of rare cerebral venous thrombosis with the vaccine. On March 18, 2021, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) declared that AstraZeneca’s vaccine was safe and effective. However, the EMA recommended that there be greater awareness of risks and that these be included in the package. The decision of the Paul Ehrlich Institute and the EMA illustrate that there are pro and con arguments for vaccination.

In recent weeks and months, numerous demonstrations have taken place regarding the Corona situation in Germany. These demonstrations address a variety of COVID-19 vaccination issues. Below we list some of the main statements made: 1. Several people have died from the COVID vaccine., 2. The vaccine is ineffective because people can still become infected after being vaccinated, 3. The vaccine damages genetic material, 4. The vaccine can cause cancer, 5. The vaccine can cause infertility 6. Speed took precedence over safety in the approval of the vaccine, 7. Many participants have died in the vaccine trials

COVID-19 can cause asymptomatic, asymptomatic, or severe infections with pneumonia and other organ involvement, ranging from lung and multiple organ failure to death. A proportion of COVID-19 patients continue to struggle with effects weeks or months after the onset of infection. According to the current knowledge of the Robert Koch Institute, persons vaccinated against COVID-19 are more likely not to contract COVID-19 after contact with SARS-CoV-2. Accordingly, vaccinated persons have a higher probability of remaining healthy.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (as of March 25, 2021), more than 2.7 million people in Germany have contracted COVID-19 to date and more than 65,000 people have died from COVID-19. Elderly people and people with chronic respiratory diseases have a higher probability of dying from COVID-19. Although some elderly persons have received SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations, the vaccinations ultimately do not provide absolute (100%) protection, so elderly/chronically ill persons remain at risk as long as high incidence rates continue to prevail in the general population. However, according to recent studies, between 75 and 95 percent of the population must be vaccinated or have natural antibodies to COVID-19 (e.g., from previous disease) for general protection (herd immunity) against COVID-19 to be assumed.