VBefore the decision by the EU Medicines Agency (EMA) on the approval of a corona vaccine for children, the debate about the consequences has become more heated.
Federal Family Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) demanded that children and young people must fully participate in the opening steps from the lockdown. A vaccination should not play a role. The Association of Education and Upbringing (VBE) demanded that parents should be well informed and then be able to make their own decisions.
“First and foremost, pediatricians and general practitioners are the competent contact persons”, said VBE chairman Udo Beckmann of the German press agency in Berlin. “In addition, there must never be any doubt that the right to decide whether or not an individual child may be vaccinated lies solely with the parents.”
From June 7th vaccination appointments for children too
The EU Medicines Agency EMA wants to decide this Friday whether a corona vaccination is already possible for children in the European Union. The relevant expert committee will hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss the approval of the Biontech / Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12 and over. So far it has been approved for ages 16 and over in the EU.
On Thursday, the federal and state governments stipulated that children aged 12 and over in Germany may be vaccinated against corona from June 7th, provided that the EU authority gives the green light. On June 7th, the prioritization in this country is to be generally lifted, so that children from twelve to 16 years of age can also try to get an appointment, as Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) announced.
However, it is no longer planned that the federal states should receive additional vaccination doses for children and adolescents. According to the federal-state resolution, resident doctors in particular should be eligible for vaccinations. Merkel stressed that there should also be no indirect coercion.
Participation in social life – regardless of whether you have been vaccinated
Lambrecht said that children’s participation in social life should not depend on whether they are vaccinated or not. “That must apply to participation in face-to-face lessons, but also to leisure activities such as swimming pool visits or vacations.” Together with their parents, the children should be able to make a responsible and voluntary decision on the basis of comprehensive and well-founded information.
The Association for Education and Upbringing accused the government of fueling expectations before the vaccination summit that could not be met. It was good that the federal-state consultations had made that clear, said Beckmann. Here it became clear: “There will be no additional vaccination contingents.”
Beckmann said: “We understand the euphoria, because the vaccination promises normality. But to always take the second step before the first and to fabulate about vaccination mobiles in front of schools, even before the vaccine has been approved for this age group, let alone recommended by the responsible vaccination commission, is tantamount to negligent deception. “
Disappointment with the teachers
The German Teachers’ Association also reacted disappointed. It is doubtful whether the resolutions would have any significant positive effects on school operations in the next school year, said association chief Heinz-Peter Meidinger of the editorial network Germany.
The EMA wants to announce the result of its deliberations on the approval of the Biontech vaccine at 3 p.m. in Amsterdam. The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) in Germany wants to take its time with its recommendation, because from their point of view the data on side effects in children are still too thin. She has indicated that she may only want to recommend vaccination for previously ill children.
Medical President Klaus Reinhardt supported this approach: “The data situation on the risks and benefits of a possible corona vaccination for children and adolescents is currently so inadequate that no recommendation can be made,” he told the “Rheinische Post”.
Scarce vaccine forces a decision
Intensive care physicians demanded that the vaccine, which is still scarce, be used primarily in adults, because they would have a higher risk of developing severe disease. “Children often fall ill asymptomatically or harmlessly and therefore currently have no urgent indication for a vaccination if vaccine capacities are scarce,” said the General Secretary of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive and Emergency Medicine (Divi), Florian Hoffmann, the Funke newspapers.
In Germany, only about half of the families want to have their children vaccinated against the coronavirus. This is the result of a representative survey by the opinion research institute Civey on behalf of the Augsburger Allgemeine. According to this, 51 percent of those surveyed with children living in the household are in favor of vaccinating their offspring, whereas 40 percent of legal guardians are currently against vaccination for their children. The rest were undecided.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/from-12-years-expected-eu-decision-fuels-debate-about-vaccinations-for-children/
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