Germans are responsible for measles vaccination

02/27/2015

According to surveys, about two-thirds of Germans are in favor of compulsory vaccination for severe diseases such as measles. In view of the measles wave in Berlin, which has already claimed a fatality, the debate about a statutory prescribed obligation to vaccinate has flared up again.

Measles spread in Berlin
According to a spokesman for the pharmaceutical wholesaler Sanacorp, vaccine demand nationwide increased five-fold, depending on the region, immediately after the infant's death last week. Especially in Berlin and Baden-Württemberg increased demand was recorded. The competitor Alliance Healthcare recently even announced a Germany-wide by 10 percent and in Berlin even by up to 250 percent increase in vaccine demand.

Since the beginning of the week alone, 70 new measles cases have been recorded in Berlin. Many adults are currently among those affected. The number increased within one day by 28 new measles patients to Thursday on a total of 637 cases. About a quarter of the patients had to be treated in the hospital. For the toddler, however, all help came too late. It was not vaccinated against measles.

The Wald-Gymnasium in Berlin-Charlottenburg had sent his students home because of a measles case on Wednesday. Classes continued until Thursday. "We checked the vaccination records of all students at the beginning of the lesson. Who has an unclear vaccination status, must first stay at home, "headmaster Wolfgang Ismer told the news agency" dpa ". At least eight students and three teachers are not allowed to attend classes until 3 March as a precautionary measure. On Monday, a secondary school in Berlin-Lichtenrade had also been closed for a day because of a student suffering from measles.

Vaccination against measles required
In view of the increasing numbers of patients, the call for a statutory vaccination against measles is becoming louder and louder. According to a survey conducted by opinion research institute YouGov, 40 percent of Germans say they are "very much in favor of vaccination" in diseases such as measles, while 34 percent were "more likely to be vaccinated". Only 21 percent were in the survey "more or less against vaccination" and five percent could pronounce neither for nor against vaccination. Especially in the age group 55 and over, many respondents supported the measure.

In an Emnid opinion poll for the news magazine "Focus" even 76 percent support the demand for a statutory vaccination against measles. 17 percent opposed it. In eastern Germany, as many as 90 percent supported the preventive measure.

In countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Estonia, Serbia and Croatia, there is already a legal obligation to vaccinate against measles. However, Germany does not agree on such a measure. Leftists and Greens spoke out in the Bundestag against. Federal Minister of Justice Heiko Maas of the SPD sees the compulsory vaccination legally enforceable, but it would be for him only the last resort. Health Minister Hermann Gröhe (CDU) had previously expressed similar.

France and Romania are also debating compulsory vaccination. In Austria, this is rejected by large parts of the population as well as the local medical association and the Ministry of Health. However, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, President of the German Medical Association, said a few days ago clearly for the obligation to vaccinate against measles. (Ag)