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Vaccination for children and adolescents
Current findings as the basis for decision
Vaccination recommendations, efficacy and side effects
Should we have our child vaccinated against COVID-19? This question moves many parents. The topic is often discussed controversially and parents as well as children have a lot of questions about it. There is no vaccination obligation for children in Germany. The decision for or against vaccination is up to you and your child.
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During the pandemic, the epidemiologic situation of COVID-19 has changed significantly. The virus has not disappeared, but severe courses have become much rarer due to the baseline immunity achieved in the population.
Until now, parents of 5- to 18-year-old children were advised to have their children vaccinated against coronavirus. On April 25, 2023, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) updated its COVID-19 vaccination recommendations. For healthy children and adolescents, the recommendations for vaccination are completely eliminated. Safety concerns in the vaccination of healthy children and adolescents, however, do not exist.
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SARS-CoV-2 infections in healthy children and adolescents up to 18 years of age usually proceed without problems. According to the new conviction of the STIKO, children and adolescents therefore do not require vaccination (as of April 25, 2023).
Most infections in healthy children and adolescents are usually mild. The symptoms resemble a cold with fever, cough and runny nose - although your child is not automatically sick with corona if he or she shows signs of a cold. But always, you should react with caution: If your child is sick, he or she should definitely not go to daycare or school, but stay home. It is best to discuss with your pediatrician or adolescent doctor the further measures.
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Important to know for parents: So that you can lovingly care for your sick child, there are special regulations for time off from work. For example, the entitlement to children's sick days has been increased from 20 to 30 days per child for those with statutory insurance.
Children from the age of 6 months with underlying diseases, the STIKO(as of April 25, 2023) recommends an annual booster vaccination in addition to thebasic immunity. This should usually be done at a minimum interval of 12 months each from the last vaccination or infection. Preferably, children should be vaccinated in the fall, so that they are protected as best as possible when the number of infections may increase in the fall and winter months. It is best to discuss with your pediatrician how to proceed.
Important to know for parents: Children between 5 and 11 years do not receive the same vaccine dose as adolescents 12 and older and adults. The recommended pediatric vaccine has been specifically adapted for children.
The mRNA vaccine recommended by STIKO is Comirnaty® from BioNTech/Pfizer.
The pediatric vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds contains a dose of 10 micrograms of mRNA.
The vaccine for adolescents 12 and older and adults contains 30 micrograms of mRNA per dose.
The pivotal scientific study found that the Comirnaty pediatric vaccine provides safe protection for 5- to 11-year-old children. The risk of disease can be effectively reduced by COVID-19 vaccination. Data from a clinical trial in children aged 5 to 11 years showed that administration of the vaccine at concentrations as low as 10 micrograms per dose significantly reduced the risk of COVID-19 disease. The pivotal trial in adolescents (12 to 15 years) with the Comirnaty vaccine also showed very good efficacy for preventing COVID-19 disease.
The Corona vaccine indicates an infection to the immune system. This triggers certain defense reactions in the body. They are important for the vaccination to be effective. Mild reactions to the vaccination are normal. This is a sign that the immune system is reacting and producing antibodies. Vaccine reactions usually subside completely within a few days. The most commonly described symptoms after vaccination are pain at the injection site in the arm, fatigue and headache.
If you have any questions about the Corona vaccination for your child or would like to seek specialist advice, it is best to contact your pediatrician or adolescent doctor. Hospitals and pediatric clinics, as well as immunization centers, also offer specialized counseling and administration of the pediatric vaccine.
BrochuresDownload
The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, together with the Robert Koch Institute, the Federal Center for Health Education and the Paul Ehrlich Institute, has published a decision aid for parents and guardians.
Multilingual information on the corona virus and corona vaccination in plain language, English, French, Russian, Turkish and Arabic has been compiled by the Federal Centre for Health Education BZgA at www.infektionsschutz.de/coronavirus.
