The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) is in favor of corona vaccinations for all children and adolescents from the age of twelve. After careful evaluation of new scientific observations and data, one comes to the conclusion that “according to the current state of knowledge, the advantages of vaccination outweigh the risk of very rare vaccine side effects”, announced the committee and relied on a draft resolution. The official recommendation text is not yet available. Changes are still possible in a coordination process with the federal states and specialist groups.
“This recommendation is primarily aimed at the direct protection of vaccinated children and adolescents from Covid-19 and the associated psychosocial consequences,” explained the Stiko. The vaccination should continue to be carried out after medical advice on the benefits and risks. They speak out “expressly against making a vaccination a prerequisite for social participation in children and adolescents”.
The basis for the new assessment is in particular data from the American vaccination program with almost ten million vaccinated children and adolescents. Stiko boss Thomas Mertens recently justified the previous reluctance with insufficient data on the safety of vaccination in adolescents. The main focus was on the possible consequences of myocardial inflammation in vaccinated people. Very rare heart muscle inflammation, which is more likely to be observed in young male vaccinated persons, is rated as a side effect, but the Stiko writes of mostly uncomplicated courses. She also points to studies from abroad, according to which, conversely, heart diseases could also occur with Covid-19.
In the past few weeks, the Stiko had repeatedly been asked by various politicians to reconsider its cautious stance on vaccinating children and adolescents from the age of twelve. So far, the committee has recommended immunization in the age group above all to those who have certain pre-existing conditions such as obesity or chronic lung diseases – or people with a particular corona risk in their environment.
At the end of May, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) gave the green light to the first Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds with the preparation from Biontech and Pfizer. In July, the agency also released the Moderna vaccine for adolescents, which previously could only be used from the age of 18.
Even without a general recommendation, vaccinations have already been possible for healthy people in the age group – “after medical advice and with individual wishes and risk acceptance”. According to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Monday, 24.3 percent of twelve to 17-year-olds have been vaccinated against corona at least once and 15.1 percent have been completely vaccinated. At the beginning of August, the federal and state health ministers had already agreed on broader offers for children from the age of twelve – for corona protection when starting school after the summer holidays. With the preparations from Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna, two mRNA vaccines have been approved for this group in the EU. No vaccine is currently available for children under the age of twelve.
Far-reaching easing in Baden-Württemberg
A new Corona regulation with far-reaching relaxations for people who have been vaccinated and recovered from the virus came into force this Monday in Baden-Württemberg. Those who belong to one of these two groups enjoy greater freedom in many areas regardless of local or regional corona incidences. Unvaccinated and non-convalescents, on the other hand, now have to present negative rapid antigen tests much more frequently than before, and each of these must not be older than 24 hours. This applies, for example, to visits to museums, hotels, fitness studios, exhibitions, the hairdresser’s and indoor restaurants.
Children who have not yet started school are exempt from the test requirement. According to the government, students do not have to show any separate tests, provided they are already subject to regular corona testing in their schools.
No rapid antigen test is sufficient for unvaccinated and unrecovered guests of clubs and discos; instead, a negative PCR test must be carried out in advance, which must be a maximum of 48 hours old when entering and is comparatively expensive.
Previous contact restrictions and regulations for private events and celebrations will be lifted. Elsewhere – also for vaccinated and convalescent people – the mask requirement remains. It applies to local transport, retail, hotels and the vast majority of non-private events, at least indoors. (08/16/2021)
Incidence value rises to 36.2
The seven-day incidence continues to rise. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) on Monday morning, it was 36.2 – the previous day the value was 35.0, a week ago 23.1. The health authorities in Germany reported 2126 new corona infections to the RKI within one day. This is based on figures from Monday morning, which reflect the status of the RKI dashboard at 4:30 a.m. A week ago, the value for Germany was 1183 infections.
According to the new information, four deaths were recorded across Germany within 24 hours. There had been two deaths a week ago. The RKI has counted 3,823,139 detected infections with Sars-CoV-2 since the beginning of the pandemic. The actual total number is likely to be significantly higher, as many infections are not detected.
The RKI stated the number of those who had recovered at 3,682,000. The number of people who died with or with a proven infection with Sars-CoV-2 rose to 91,871. (08/16/2021)
Survey: Vaccination quota for adults could rise to more than 80 percent
According to a survey, the proportion of adults fully vaccinated against Corona in Germany could rise to more than 80 percent. In the representative survey conducted by the Yougov opinion research institute on behalf of the German Press Agency, 75 percent of the 2106 participants said they had already been vaccinated at least once. Another six percent said that they still want to be vaccinated – together that’s 81 percent. In May, this rate was only 74 percent in a comparable survey. Shortly before the start of the vaccination campaign in December 2020, only 65 percent had decided to vaccinate.
In the current survey, only 13 percent said they did not want to be vaccinated – in May it was 15 percent. Six percent have not yet made a decision.
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) said last Monday that she hoped for a vaccination rate “well over 70 percent and up to 80 percent”. But she related that to the total population. No vaccine has yet been approved for children under the age of twelve. The Standing Vaccination Commission has not yet issued a general vaccination recommendation for children and adolescents between the ages of twelve and 17. According to official figures, 63.1 percent of the total population has been vaccinated at least once. (08/15/2021)
Medical representatives for PCR tests on infected vaccinated persons
The Robert Koch Institute has the support of medical representatives for its demand to test infected vaccinated people using the PCR method even if they only show mild symptoms. Both the chairman of the General Practitioner Association, Ulrich Weigeldt, and the head of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, spoke out in favor of this in the editorial network in Germany.
“As the number of infections rises, there will inevitably be more cases in which vaccinated people become infected,” said Reinhardt. “We therefore need valid information on the reasons. Where do vaccination breakthroughs occur, with which vaccines do they occur above all and which pre-existing diseases may promote them?” This could help to further increase the effectiveness of the vaccines and adapt them to virus variants.
The RKI had made the request because the number of tests in doctors’ offices has fallen sharply in recent weeks. At the same time, the proportion of positive findings is increasing. (08/14/2021)