Medicine
Although the AstraZeneca vaccine was authorised for use within the EU this Friday the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) is to recommend that the vaccine is only used on those aged under 65. The reason for this recommendation cited in the draft is the lack of data in this age group from the phase 3 trials.
A vaccination. Photo: kfuhlert via Pixabay
Environment
Dutch born physicist, Paul Crutzen, who co-discovered the hole in the ozone layer as a researcher at the Max Planck institute for chemistry in Mainz has died. Crutzen was awarded the Nobel prize for chemistry in 1995 and has continued to work at the institute in Mainz since then.
The Saxon village of Pödelwitz has been saved from destruction by the expansion of an open cast coal mine. This result follows on from the Green party joining the governing coalition of the state in autumn 2019 resulting in a compromise on the use of coal in Saxony.