The Stiko has had to put up with a lot of criticism for the lengthy decision-making process - for example, the health ministers had already pushed ahead at the beginning of the month with the demand that children aged 12 and over should also be vaccinated. For its part, the Vaccination Commission emphasized that the facts should be examined, including the benefits of coronavirus vaccination. The decision has been made and "the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risk of very rare vaccination side effects", the Stiko announced on August 16, 2021. Here's what parents need to know now:
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Age limit: Which children can now be vaccinated against coronavirus?
The Stiko's recommendation now applies to all young people between the ages of 12 and 17. This age group was previously only recommended to be vaccinated if they had certain pre-existing conditions or were severely overweight and lived with people at risk.
Which vaccine will young people receive?
The EU approved the Biontech/Pfizer vaccine at the end of May as the first vaccine for adolescents aged 12 and over. This means that an mRNA vaccine will be administered. The USA and Canada have been using the vaccine for some time, and the mRNA vaccine from Moderna has also been administered since July.
How effective is it?
According to Biontech/Pfizer, based on a Phase III study involving over 2,000 adolescents aged 12 and over, the vaccine should provide 100 percent protection against symptomatic Covid disease. No coronavirus infection was detected among the vaccinated adolescents, while there were 16 coronavirus cases in the placebo group. According to studies with adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18, the Moderna vaccine is also said to be 100 percent effective.
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Are there reactions to the vaccine?
According to a study in the "New England Journal of Medicine", the vaccination is considered to be well tolerated by children and adolescents. As in other age groups, the side effects were classified as moderate. The most common complaint was pain at the injection site (79 to 86 percent of children after the first or second dose), followed by tiredness (60 to 66 percent) and headaches (55 to 65 percent). Around 20 percent developed a fever after the second vaccination. The symptoms usually disappeared after a few days.
Are there any side effects after the coronavirus vaccination?
According to Stiko, there have been cases of myocarditis in the USA, mainly affecting boys and young men. According to Stiko, these should be regarded as side effects of the vaccination - but they are said to have been uncomplicated cases. In this context, the Stiko points out that, according to recent studies, heart disease could also occur with Covid-19 disease. There are no other indications of serious side effects after vaccination with an mRNA vaccine in children and adolescents.
Vaccination decision: What role does the delta variant play?
If the fourth wave with the delta variant comes with full force, then an increased risk of infection is to be expected, according to model calculations. The problem already exists in the USA, as hospitals are currently treating more children with Covid-19 than ever before. Read more about this>>