Corona vaccinations from 12: This is how the German media comment on the decision

Press reviews

With a wider range of vaccinations for children and adolescents, the federal and state health ministers want to accelerate the fight against the further spread of the coronavirus. The heads of department unanimously decided on Monday evening to offer vaccinations for 12 to 17 year olds in regional vaccination centers in all countries – as is already possible in medical practices. From September, risk groups such as the elderly and those in need of care should also be able to get their first booster vaccinations. The planned expansion of the vaccination offer against the current recommendation of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) has also met with a mixed response in the German media.

Corona vaccinations for children from the age of twelve – the media coverage

“Southgerman newspaper” (Munich):

“The fact that the federal and state governments are jostling about vaccinating children and adolescents is also due to the fact that the vaccination campaign has lost pace overall. A good half of the population is fully vaccinated, almost 62 percent for the first time That’s not enough to be happy autumn. Only: The addressees for more pressure should first of all be those for whom there is a vaccination recommendation and whose individual risk-benefit ratio is very clear per vaccination, but for the children and parents at least subliminally It is made to understand that everyday school life could possibly be difficult if not enough children come back from vacation vaccinated, the sharpest weapon in dealing with adults who are skeptical of vaccinations is currently the free bratwurst. “

“The world” (Berlin):

“Now that the threat to the elderly and high-risk patients, which was the cause of all government measures, has been averted by vaccination, some are trying to clandestinely postpone the goal: Without the vaccination of the children, so their line of argument, there could be no return normality, in other words, in the face-to-face classes that have been suspended for almost a year and a half.

However, as the law professors Elisa Hoven and Frauke Rostalski show in a ‘Welt’ guest post, this is neither legal nor sensible – and also a perfidious form of blackmail. Anyone who claims that vaccination is the way into regular lessons ultimately implicitly threatens that children who have not been vaccinated have no right to these lessons. “

“Badish newspaper” (Freiburg):

“Stiko has (…) become a key player in the pandemic. That does not mean that it should become sloppy or even compliantly give in to political pressure. Rather, it has to do exactly the opposite. It is also right that it should Put your finger in the wound: The vaccinations for the young people alone are not really enough. The protection concept for the schools as a whole has to work – if only because nine million children under 12 cannot be vaccinated anyway. But the pace of work and the communication of the Stiko must get faster and better. “

Frankfurter Rundschau:

“You won’t get any further with stiko-bashing. The more pressure is built up, the more obdurate the members seem to become. In addition, the public debate is unnecessarily charged with emotions. Motto: The aggressive policy against the staunch doctors. By the way, it is now the lateral thinkers who suddenly praise science. That should also give the Stiko food for thought. At first it looked as if politics were burying their heads in the sand so as not to offend the insecure electorate. Fortunately, the federal and state governments the realization that doing nothing would be negligent. In this respect, the announced resolution of the health ministers is overdue to create all the prerequisites for children and young people who want to be vaccinated in consultation with their parents to be given the opportunity to do so quickly and easily In this way, politics ensures equal opportunities – for which it is responsible. “

“Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung”:

“Yesterday, Stiko boss Thomas Mertens criticized Siko’s approach as unwise and declared that vaccinating children – i.e. protection against Covid-19 – was not relevant. Conversely, the question arises as to where he and his colleagues were , when virologists told politicians and the population that the closure of schools and daycare centers was absolutely necessary to fight the pandemic. And why is Stiko ignoring the fear, which is underpinned by ever increasing amounts of data, that children are also affected by Long Covid? Stiko-bashing does not get you any further, on the contrary. The more pressure is built up, the more obdurate the members of the commission seem to become. In addition, the public debate becomes unnecessarily emotional. “

Leipziger Volkszeitung:

“The decision of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) applies throughout Germany, according to which immunization of children and adolescents against the coronavirus is not recommended. All over Germany? No, in the east of the republic there are scientists who see things very differently The only vaccination commission at the state level – the Saxon Vaccination Commission (Siko) – has been recommending vaccinating children from the age of twelve since Sunday, and it does so with reference to precisely the data that, according to the Federal Stiko, do not yet exist: with valid Figures from the US and Israel. “

Nuremberg News:

Germany “affords” this committee of experts for good reason. After all, the success of vaccination campaigns depends not least on the public’s trust in vaccines. And this trust can only be established by science with well-documented studies. It is therefore a valuable asset that politicians may damage if they ignore the recommendations of the experts. The rude approach may be due to the fact that the new school year is just around the corner and the state governments still have no idea how to make it safe and stable.

Stuttgarter Zeitung:

“The protection concept for schools as a whole has to work – if only because nine million children under twelve cannot be vaccinated anyway. But the pace of work and communication between the Stiko have to become faster and better.”

Südwest-Presse (Ulm):

“Vaccinations of adolescents are quite possible. Parents and adolescents can choose to do so, and nobody claims that this would be dangerous for most of them. Stiko just doesn’t want to assess the residual risk because it lacks the data. That seems hesitant. But scientific evidence need time, and scientific independence doesn’t work under pressure. “

Further sources: , .