Christina was looking forward to the vaccinations of the teenagers. Her 15-year-old daughter Martha has type 1 diabetes. When the Standing Commission on Vaccinations (Stiko) recommended vaccinations in Germany for children at increased risk of severe COVID-19, the teen’s mom breathed a sigh of relief. Now, not only parents are vaccinated in the family, but also both children. Martha was also vaccinated by her 13-year-old brother Christophe.
However, not all German parents reacted so positively to the vaccination of children over 12 years old. Teresa’s dad is still not completely sure. “Doubts remain, what if I harm my child?” – Roman shares his experiences.
23 percent of children over 12 are fully vaccinated
How many children have been vaccinated in Germany so far? Upon inquiry, DW Stiko provided up-to-date information as of September 6, 2021: more than 34 percent of all children and adolescents in Germany between 12 and 17 years old received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and more than 23 percent are fully vaccinated. That is, almost every fourth child in this age category.
Pediatric cardiologist and official representative of the German Union of Pediatricians (Berufsverband der Kinder- und Jugendärzte) Dr. Hermann Josef Kahl, like the mother of a 15-year-old girl, was waiting for the start of vaccination of children, fearing for the health of his young patients. having chronic diseases, for example, congenital heart disease. “We have already vaccinated many adolescents over the age of 12,” he said with relief in an interview with DW. “And we strongly recommend vaccinating children over the age of 12.
The German doctor knows firsthand that among parents there are those who oppose the vaccination of children. “They read a lot of different information on social networks, after which we have to talk to them for a long time to convince them of the correct vaccination,” says Herman Josef Kahl. “Over the past year, many myths about vaccines have appeared. We try to explain to parents that the vaccine is effective proven, and that there are many fakes on the Internet. “
One of the most egregious fakes for a German cardiologist is information that girls who have been vaccinated against covid will not be able to have children. “It is despicable to disseminate such information. There is no scientific evidence. It is disgusting,” the doctor said.
Will children under 12 be vaccinated?
There are very few cases of severe covid leaks in children. Professor Jörg Dötsch, director of the unit for pediatric and adolescent medicine at the University Hospital Cologne, told DW during the peak of the pandemic that children are more often hospitalized with parents who are in serious condition, since there is no one to look after the children, and not because the children themselves get sick.
Now in the children’s department there is an increase in the number of infectious diseases. Nine out of ten tests for covid are positive, but the children ended up in the hospital due to a completely different disease, as Jörg Dötsch commented on the current situation in Der Spiegel.
“Indeed, most children can easily tolerate covid, but all children want to communicate normally, meet with peers, lead a normal life. Vaccination makes it possible to do this without fear,” says his colleague from Dusseldorf Herman Josef Kahl. He agrees that the Permanent Commission on Vaccinations hesitated for a long time to allow vaccination of children, which led to an increase in skepticism among German parents, but Stiko was important at first to get the research results. Now, new ones are being held, which should clarify the situation with children under 12 years old. The German doctor makes his prediction: “I think the vaccination of young children will not begin until 2022.”
Vaccine manufacturers also adhere to this plan. German Health Minister Jens Spahn also said that he does not expect vaccines for this age group to be approved until early 2022. As reported by the pharmaceutical companies BioNTech and Pfizer, an up-to-date study has shown that children tolerate vaccinations well and that the vaccine elicits a stable response. About 2270 children took part in this study. They received the same vaccine as children over 12 years old, only at a lower dosage. Vaccination was carried out in stages: the interval between two vaccinations was 21 days. The level of antibody formation in young children is comparable to the group over 12 years old. “We are delighted to be able to provide research results for this age group even before winter comes,” said Ugur Sahin, developer of the drug, head of BioNTech, after the first results were announced.
The results of clinical trials will be submitted as soon as possible to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). In Germany, the “green light” should also be given by the Standing Commission on Vaccinations (Stiko). Two more studies are currently underway in children aged two to five and six months to two years. 90 clinics in the USA, Finland, Poland and Spain take part in it. The results should be available at the end of 2021.
Can vaccination against covid become mandatory in Germany – just like vaccination against measles? Herman Josef Kahl excludes such a development of events. He does not deny that there are skeptics not only among parents, but also among his colleagues: “However, I can assure you that this always happens when a new vaccine appears. Most doctors in Germany are happy, and all doctors want their children to stay healthy. We have a lot of experience in vaccinating children. We do vaccinations already in infancy and we understand that vaccines protect children from disease. “
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