News that moves us in March: European Commission approves approval of Moderna from the age of 6 +++ When women are the main breadwinners, the family is often affected by poverty +++ Level 2 reached: These corona rules apply today
The most important news in the BRIGITTE ticker
What moves the world? What moves the BRIGITTE editors? In this ticker we summarize the most important news for you in March.
March 7, 2022
The European Commission approves Moderna’s approval extension for children aged 6 years and older
So far, only two vaccines have been approved for the corona vaccination of children and adolescents. On the one hand Comirnaty from the manufacturer Biontech/Pfizer for the age groups from 12 to 17 years and in a lower dosage in the age group from 5 to 11 years. Moderna’s Spikevax also received a 12-17 year age label extension in July 2021. Now the European Commission has approved an extension for children between the ages of 6 and 11.
The European Commission has thus implemented a corresponding recommendation of the Medicines Committee CHMP of the European Medicines Agency EMA. According to a statement by the Paul Ehrlich Institute, the benefit-risk ratio is favorable, especially in children with concomitant diseases that are associated with an increased risk of a severe course of COVID-19.
Children between the ages of 6 and 11 will receive a lower dose of the Moderna vaccine. The side effects are similar to those in children and adolescents over 12 years of age. You may experience pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, swollen or tender lymph nodes under your arm, fever, and muscle and joint pain. The side effects were usually mild or moderate and got better within a few days.
There is currently no official recommendation from the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO). In principle, STIKO had recommended only using the Biontech vaccine for people under the age of 30. In principle, the recommendation of the STIKO to vaccinate children at a young age only if they have a previous illness and/or an associated increased risk of a severe course of Covid-19 is still valid.
When the woman is the main breadwinner, the family is often affected by poverty
The number of households in which women are the main breadwinners is slowly increasing. In around every tenth household, the woman earns more than the man. Between 2007 and 2016, the rate rose from 9.9 to 11.9 percent. In two thirds of the cases, however, it is still the men who earn more, in a quarter the earnings are the same, according to a study by the Economic and Social Science Institute (WSI) of the Hans Böckler Foundation. Heterosexual households with and without children were examined. The main earner is the person who earns more than sixty percent of the income.
How exactly this upward trend can be measured is not yet clearly determinable. One factor could be the economic crisis and the associated short-time work in companies during the pandemic. If the men earned less, the women made up for it, as far as the family and the household permitted. Because even if the number of main breadwinners increases, the majority of care work is still left to women.
In addition, if women are the main breadwinners in a partnership, the household is affected by poverty more often than average. About half have a precarious income and 20 percent live below the poverty line. This is partly due to the gender pay gap of 18 percent. Women often earn significantly less for the same job. West and East Germany still differ when it comes to main earners and unequal pay. While the gender pay gap in western Germany was 20 percent in 2020, it was six percent in the east. In East Germany, women earn more than men in 16.2 households, in the West it is only 9.5 percent.
March 4, 2022
Corona rules: Starting today, the rules will be further relaxed
The federal and state governments had agreed on a phased plan to relax the corona rules. Stage two starts today, March 4, 2022. In public life, the 3G rule applies again for the most part. For example at the hairdresser, in the gym or in the catering trade. This means: Those who have been vaccinated, have recovered and have been boosted must show their proof of vaccination or recovery, and those who have been tested must present a test that is updated daily. The 2G rule only applies to a few exceptions, such as in the football stadium or at concerts.
There are no access restrictions in retail, but the obligation to wear a mask and the maintenance of the minimum distance still apply. When traveling abroad, an additional test is now usually no longer required if you are vaccinated or recovered. Within the EU, unvaccinated people need a rapid antigen test that is updated daily. When entering Germany from former high-risk areas, there is no quarantine requirement for unvaccinated people. The entry form no longer has to be filled out either.
The previously closed discotheques are also allowed to reopen. The countries themselves regulate which access restrictions apply. This is why the 3G rule applies to some and the 2G rule to others. Here you should find out exactly about access conditions before a visit.
March 1, 2022
Over a million people are fleeing Ukraine
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has now announced that more than half a million people are said to have fled Ukraine before the war between Russia and Ukraine. Most of them made their way to Poland. According to the Polish border guard, there have been more than 281,000 since the beginning of the war, according to “Die Zeit”. According to a spokeswoman, there would have been 100,000 people on Sunday alone. In addition to Poland, Ukrainians are also fleeing to Romania, Moldova, Hungary and Slovakia.
It is difficult to make a statement about the civilian casualties of the war to date. UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said Thursday her office can confirm the deaths of 102 civilians, including seven children. However, she warned strongly that the actual numbers are likely to be significantly higher.
Due to the expectation of a huge movement of refugees, the EU Commission wants to propose for the first time that rules for the case of a so-called “mass influx” of displaced persons come into force. This is intended to spare war refugees a long asylum procedure in the EU so that they can receive immediate protection. According to a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior, 1,800 refugees from Ukraine have reached Germany in the past few days.
Any more news?
That was the news in February.
Sources used: zeit.de, focus.de, boeckler.de, perspective-online.net, springermedizin.de Ärzte Zeitung, pei.de, fection protection.de, rki.de