The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

From March 2020: Bundestag decides measles vaccination obligation

2019-11-14T12:49:53.240Z


Children and staff in day nurseries, schools and community facilities must be vaccinated against measles in the future. The vaccination is a legal obligation. On the other hand, only the AfD voted.



The measles vaccination obligation for kindergarten children is law. The Bundestag approved the corresponding submission of the Federal Ministry of Health with the votes of CDU / CSU, SPD and FDP. Several members of the Left and the Greens abstained, the AfD voted against.

From 1 March 2020, compulsory vaccination will apply to day-care centers, schools, other community facilities, day care and refugee shelters. Parents will need to prove that they have been vaccinated before boarding their children in day-care centers or schools. In case of violations, fines of up to 2500 euros are to be threatened. For children who are already in the day-care center or at school, until 31 July 2021 it must be proven that they have been vaccinated or had measles already.

It also includes the staff of the facilities, as well as staff of medical facilities. Unvaccinated children can therefore be excluded from the Kita visit, in other cases fines of up to 2500 euros.

More than 500 cases so far this year

In Germany and throughout Europe, the infectious disease has spread in recent years due to lack of vaccine protection stronger again. Measles are highly contagious and not harmless: in children under the age of four and adults over the age of 20, the disease is often severe, with one in two being hospitalized in 2018 following illness.

According to the Robert Koch Institute, 501 people have contracted measles in Germany this year. In the past two years, there were almost 1,500 cases in Germany. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 37 people died of measles infection in Europe alone in the first half of 2018. Deaths as a long-term consequence are not included: After infection in infants and toddlers, the risk of fatal meningitis increases in later life years.

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) had again defended the law in the morning. "This is a child protection law in the truest sense of the word," said Spahn in the ARD "Morgenmagazin". Especially toddlers needed "special protection".

Children could not decide for themselves whether they would be vaccinated, argued Spahn. Therefore a vaccination obligation is necessary. "Measles are not a childhood disease," said the CDU politician. In addition, measles are "not treatable". The infectious disease is highly contagious and "a pain for children and adults."

The vaccination also benefits very young children "in community facilities," said Spahn. Infants less than one year of age may not be vaccinated for medical reasons, so vaccination is even more important for the 2- to 5-year-olds to protect even the smaller ones. Spahn demanded that "every doctor, including the pediatrician" should also be ready to vaccinate adults against measles.

Criticism of the planned law, for example on the part of the AfD, rejected Spahn. The vaccination is a fulfillment of the right to physical integrity, said Spahn. "We have also eradicated smallpox in this way," said Spahn.

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2019-11-14

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.