Despite the lack of a Stiko recommendation, politicians have paved the way for more vaccinated children and adolescents. Concerns are already being raised in schools.
Frankfurt a. M. – It was something like a suggestion on goodness that the federal government recently put into practice: a nationwide vaccination offer for children and adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age. The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) has not yet issued a general recommendation to be vaccinated against the coronavirus at the relevant age. However, the federal government has long since witnessed the worried looks at the coming school year, which is due to start in the fall – and if possible in presence. Under the impression of this expectation, the federal and state health ministers made their decision on August 2nd. It is now becoming increasingly clear that not everyone will be happy with the decision.
Vaccination against Corona for 12 to 17 year olds controversial – schools warn of conflicts
There was already plenty of criticism of the decision from experts and association representatives. Ulrich Weigeldt, Federal Chairman of the German Association of General Practitioners, criticized the fact that the authority of Stiko as a panel of experts had thus been undermined. A member of Stiko made a similar statement to Zeit Online. The president of the professional association of paediatricians, Thomas Fischbach, appealed to the Stiko to revise its position, he considers the available data on vaccination consequences and risks for the age group to be sufficient.
An assessment by the headmasters of German schools is now available: They anticipate new conflicts between teachers, parents and students when it comes to vaccination. “Of course there will be heated discussions in everyday life. The teachers have to adjust to this, ”said the chairman of the General School Management Association Germany, Gudrun Wolters-Vogeler, to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
Corona: Political decision without the backing of Stiko unsettles parents
The vaccination status could soon be decisive for how severely pupils are affected by an infection in their own class, warned Wolters-Vogeler. Those who are not fully vaccinated will have to be in quarantine, while fully vaccinated students could continue to attend classroom teaching and school life. There could also be conflicts “over the question of whether vaccinations are necessary and whether parental rights are being ignored,” said Wolters-Vogeler.
Skepticism can also be heard from the top of the parenting council. Many parents are critical of the fact that a general Stiko recommendation is still missing, said Ines Weber, board member in the Federal Parents’ Council, according to the Tagesschau. So far, the Stiko has recommended vaccination with the mRNA vaccines from Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna, which are approved from the age of 12, only to children and adolescents with certain previous illnesses.
Stiko boss sure: vaccination of children and adolescents would not slow down the fourth wave
20 percent of 12 to 17 year olds have already had themselves vaccinated, “at their own request”, as Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) recently emphasized. Stiko boss Mertens only has a tired sidelong glance for such a value. The course of the fourth wave depends “only very marginally on the vaccination of the children,” he said recently. The Robert Koch Institute has already started this fourth wave, and the seven-day incidence has been rising again for four weeks. Instead, Mertens would like to see more focus on the immunization of 18 to 59 year olds. (mp)
List of rubric lists: © Federico Gambarini / dpa
