Corona in Munich: Confusion about child vaccination – Munich
The incidences in children are staggeringly high. For the penultimate week of November, the Bavarian State Office for Health (LGL) gave the number 1282 for six to eleven year olds. Even if the majority of children do not get seriously ill with the coronavirus, many parents want to protect their offspring from infection. Munich family doctors and paediatricians are flooded with inquiries. The city was in confusion shortly after the vaccine was approved for children aged five and over. But was the gold nun in Munich when it came to the U12 vaccination? Answers to the most pressing questions.
Who can be vaccinated?
The European Medicines Agency (Ema) approved the Comirnaty vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer on Thursday for children between the ages of five and eleven, and the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) has yet to recommend vaccination. Bavaria’s health minister announced that vaccination centers and doctors were preparing to vaccinate children aged five and over. 90,000 children live in this age group in Munich.
When can children be vaccinated?
From December 20th, the vaccine will be available in the children’s dosage in Germany. Until then, however, paediatricians can administer the drug from a bottle for adults to the younger ones. For many pediatricians this is a big hassle, they want to wait until mid-December. If children are already vaccinated with the regular vaccine, they will die within the scope of the doctor’s freedom of therapy and under the responsibility and liability of the treating doctor, the State Ministry of Health and Care (StMGP) informs.
Have there been previous vaccinations at the vaccination center in Riem?
On Thursday evening, several city councilors unanimously announced that children from years of age can also get an injection at the vaccination center in Riem “from now on”. “At the end of the general assembly, the health officer said that nobody who comes to be vaccinated in this age group will be sent away,” says Hannah Gerstenkorn (Greens). SPD parliamentary group leader Anne Hübner also posted a similar-sounding tweet. The city has now relativized the statement. In the vaccination center in Riem, child vaccinations are not yet possible due to the lack of manufacturer liability, according to a message from the press office. As soon as unanswered questions, such as adapted information sheets, have been clarified, the plan is to start vaccinating children from the age of five “at short notice”, but from December 20th.
The capacity of the vaccination center has not yet returned to full capacity due to weak staff. From December 9th, vaccinations will be back there seven days a week. Up to now, appointments for children cannot be booked via the vaccination portal on the Internet or via the hotline.
What actions is the city planning for U12 vaccinations?
The municipal health department will rent the Gasteig on Rosenheimer Strasse from December 1st and will carry out 1000 vaccinations a day there from mid-December. A contact point for family vaccinations is also gradually to be established. According to the city, the first vaccinations for children should be able to take place in mid-December. In addition, there will be vaccination campaigns in children’s and youth clubs and in health centers, for example in Hasenbergl.