A month ago, the therapeutic products authority Swissmedic approved the corona vaccine from Pfizer / Biontech for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15. But the willingness to vaccinate in this age group is low, as a survey by the “NZZ am Sonntag” of the health authorities of the cantons shows: to date, on average, not even ten percent have registered for a vaccination. It’s sobering.
In the cantons with large cities such as Zurich and Basel-Stadt it is the most with 11 percent. In Aargau, Bern, Geneva and Vaud, the proportion is 4 to 6 percent. And in the cantons of eastern and central Switzerland such as St. Gallen, Appenzell-Innerrhoden and Obwalden, it is lowest at 2 to 3 percent. According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, one reason for the low willingness to vaccinate is that the start of vaccination for this age group falls in a phase of epidemiological relaxation.
What about Delta?
This is all the more surprising in connection with the Delta variant. It is twice as contagious as the alpha variant of the coronavirus. Means: People who are not vaccinated are at double risk. Grad now in summer, when the young people want to live a large part of the missed social life. Why not quickly to the spades? Incomprehensible. The federal government is trying to educate young people with a vaccination campaign, as the “NZZ am Sonntag” writes.
The corona infection numbers have not been as low as these days for a year. That is why many young people no longer seem to see the necessity and urgency – especially not those of them who are fundamentally skeptical about vaccinations. (pbe)