Little by little, families with children are returning from their vacation - and with them many questions: What will happen to school under Corona conditions?
The federal and state governments advise on additional offers.
Berlin - At the start of school after the summer holidays in the first federal states, broader corona protection for children and adolescents comes into focus - also through more vaccinations.
The chairman of the state health ministers, Klaus Holetschek (CSU) from Bavaria, said on Monday in the ARD before the heads of department consulted with the federal government that this offer had to be made clear again.
"It is now important that we do not miss any time." According to a proposal by the federal government, vaccinations for children between 12 and 17 years should also be offered in vaccination centers in all countries, as is already possible in medical practices.
Advice should also be given about offers for booster vaccinations for the first population groups.
Berlin Mayor Müller: Scientists agree
Berlin's governing mayor Michael Müller (SPD) endorsed offers for children aged 12 and over. Although the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) is still hesitant here, many doctors and scientists are of the opinion that a vaccination protects young people much better, he said in the ARD. In the capital it can be seen that the 15 to 25 year olds had an incidence that was twice to four times higher than that of other population groups. To react to this and to make an offer that is not an obligation, he considers "very appropriate".
In May, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer from the age of 12, and a few days ago it was also approved for Moderna.
In Germany, the Stiko does not recommend vaccinations in general for children and adolescents, despite political pressure, but only if there is a higher risk of more severe corona courses, for example due to diseases such as diabetes.
However, after medical advice, parents and children can make an individual decision.
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, around 900,000 children between the ages of 12 and 17 had been vaccinated by the weekend.
Lauterbach: Stiko represents "outsider position"
The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach supported vaccination offers for children and adolescents. The Stiko represents an "outsider position" on this issue, he said on Deutschlandfunk. The main studies on the vaccination of children showed that a "contamination" with the Delta variant of the coronavirus is more dangerous than a vaccination. The President of the North Rhine Medical Association, Rudolf Henke (CDU), expressed skepticism in the WDR. "My preference would be: all adults who have contact with children get vaccinated first, and then we talk again about the Stiko recommendation".
Stiko chairman Thomas Mertens told NDR Info that there was still too little data on possible consequential damage for 12 to 17 year olds.
"We say we cannot make a general recommendation as long as we do not have the necessary data security in this regard." He added: "It may well be that we will change our recommendation, but certainly not because politicians have spoken out." The health ministers also wanted to advise on a federal proposal to make more “low-threshold” vaccination offers for young adults in universities, vocational schools and schools.
"This can make a significant contribution to a safer start to teaching and learning after the summer vacation," says the draft.
First schools open again
In Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the school began again on Monday with specifications for indoor masks and regular tests, Hamburg will follow this Thursday. Green parliamentary group leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt called for a "protective cocoon" for children in schools and daycare centers. “What is still possible must now be implemented as quickly as possible,” she told the Funke media group, for example with a view to ventilation concepts, test strategies and air filters. Vaccinations need simple, even unconventional ways: “For example, through vaccination teams at schools and school playgrounds, for everyone who wants that.” Clear information for parents is also necessary.
Another topic of the health ministers should be offers for booster vaccinations - according to a proposal of the federal government starting from September. Particularly in the case of immunocompromised, very old people and people in need of care, study results indicated reduced or rapidly decreasing protection. According to the draft, the federal states should therefore send mobile teams to care facilities, among other places. These vaccinations should be done with the means of Biontech and Moderna. Advice should also be given about an additional dose with these agents as a booster offer for people who have been fully vaccinated with Astrazeneca or Johnson & Johnson.
The pace of initial vaccinations is currently slower than it has been in months. In the meantime, 51.3 million people or 61.7 percent of the total population have received at least one dose, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute on Monday. "However, the number of first vaccinations is as low as it was last in February," wrote Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) on Twitter. “Back then we didn't have enough vaccine, that's different today: please get vaccinated!” 52.3 percent of the population are now fully vaccinated - almost 43.5 million people. dpa
