Some politicians recently put pressure on the Stiko.
A Laschet minister is now defending the body.
Its boss provides new explanations for the course.
Berlin - The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) has an "outsider position" with regard to corona vaccinations for children. At least that is how SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach last described the situation in the controversial issue of “vaccinating children from 12”. The topic has long since become a political issue. On Monday, the federal and state health ministers unanimously decided to offer vaccinations for 12 to 17-year-olds in regional vaccination centers. Despite the skepticism of the experts - as is already possible in medical practices.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) and Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) have long wanted to expand the range of vaccinations.
However, the Stiko currently does not recommend vaccination for children and adolescents in the age group in general, but only if there is a higher risk of more severe corona courses, for example due to diseases such as diabetes.
This is where the crux of the matter is seen.
Jens Spahn defends the decision of the health ministers - and sees no contradiction
“Contrary to the Stiko recommendation” the decision was made, so it was said on Monday evening in Germany's media landscape. But Stiko boss Thomas Mertens remains calm: “As far as I understand it, children from the age of twelve should be given more vaccinations. That is not a fundamental change in the current situation. Vaccination of children in this age group is also possible now. Politicians can certainly make the offer in the sense of a general precautionary measure, which does not have to be evidence-based, ”he said in an interview with the
Süddeutsche Zeitung
.
And Spahn also thinks that the contrast “decision of the health ministers vs. Stiko recommendation” is “constructed” by critics.
“It is expressly not about applying pressure.
The point is that we give those who want to be vaccinated, including children and adolescents, the opportunity together with their parents, ”said Spahn on Tuesday in the rbb“ Inforadio ”.
The chairman of the Saxon Vaccination Commission, Thomas Grünewald, also defended the recommendation for a corona vaccination for all children from the age of twelve.
"The individual benefit for a child is significantly greater than the damage or the problems that a vaccination can cause," said the expert from the
Leipziger Volkszeitung
.
"We can now recommend the vaccination with a clear conscience." However, there is no compulsory vaccination.
According to Mertens, Stiko is now aware of its responsibility.
He predicts: "I hope that we can complete an updated recommendation in the next ten days without my being able to anticipate the result." In any case, he does not consider the political pressure to be helpful.
Laschet's Minister of Health defends Stiko: NRW wants to continue to comply with the recommendation
But in the past few weeks this has increased significantly.
More and more politicians (including Söder, Lauterbach and Robert Habeck from the Greens) and some experts wanted an updated recommendation from Stiko.
Now the decision of the health ministers has come, but a minister from North Rhine-Westphalia speaks up: Armin Laschet's cabinet member Karl-Josef Laumann.
He defends the Stiko.
One should accept the independence of the Stiko, he has confidence in the scientific committee, said the CDU politician on WDR 5 in the "Morgenecho".
North Rhine-Westphalia will continue to comply with the Stiko recommendation for corona vaccination for adolescents aged 12 and over.
+
The Ulm virologist Thomas Mertens, Chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission (archive image)
© Kay Nietfeld / dpa
However, this does not conflict with the decision.
NRW has been offering this offer to children aged 12 and over in practices and vaccination centers for around two weeks, Laumann said.
There is the "strict requirement" that individual advice must be given before vaccination.
In North Rhine-Westphalia they are proceeding “very carefully” here.
In the country's vaccination centers, specific times would be offered when parents could come with their children and the vaccinations would be carried out by pediatricians.
Corona vaccinations in Germany: Mertens urges 18 to 59-year-olds to get vaccinated
NRW Minister Laumann is also looking at another group: He appealed to parents, grandparents, staff in daycare centers and schools or youth clubs to get vaccinated. Because that also increases the protection for the children. Here, too, he is in line with Stiko boss Mertens. He called on 18 to 59-year-olds to get vaccinated against corona. Because they are underrepresented among the vaccinated, Mertens noted in an online event with the CDU member of the Bundestag Ronja Kemmer on Monday evening. The unvaccinated 20 percent of teachers in particular should catch up on this. Vaccination of children and adolescents, however, does not contribute to herd immunity.
The question remains as to why other countries are already vaccinating, i.e. why other decisions have been made on the basis of international data.
This is not surprising, however, Mertens thinks.
The evaluation of the data and the conclusions are always linked to the respective prerequisites.
The fact that so many young people are vaccinated in the USA, for example, is the result of a higher proportion of malnutrition, obesity and diabetes in this age group.
Federal Association of Pediatricians: "The decisions should be made in the medical expert group"
Criticism of the decision of the health ministers comes from the Federal Association of Pediatricians.
"The Standing Vaccination Commission is the medical expert group, this is where the decisions should be made about what is right and wrong and not in politics," said the Federal Press Spokesman Jakob Maske at Phoenix.
The Stiko finally allows vaccinations for adolescents from the age of twelve, but at the moment it is still against serial vaccinations.
"We are not very afraid of the vaccination, but we want one hundred percent safety for the children and adolescents."
(Cibo / dpa)
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