Saturday, December 4th 2021
Rather a question for politics
STIKO boss is “not a fan of compulsory vaccinations”
If the Bundestag votes on a general vaccination requirement, STIKO boss Mertens has no say. He does not welcome the measure, rather he wants to convince skeptics with new vaccines. And it is precisely for this that a “hit” is developing in the USA.
The head of the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO), Thomas Mertens, thinks little of compulsory vaccinations. “Personally, I am not into compulsory vaccination. I have never been and I will never be. I always prefer when it is possible to persuade people to do something useful like vaccination,” Mertens said “Rheinische Post”.
“But it is also clear that compulsory vaccination is not a science, it is a matter of politics.” It is the task of “our elected representatives to decide,” said Mertens. In his opinion, new vaccines could convince skeptics. “The next thing we should do with Novavax is a peptide vaccine that apparently many people who are critical of the mRNA vaccines are waiting for,” said the STIKO boss.
In the USA, work is also being carried out on a live vaccine “which is supposed to work in a similar way to oral polio vaccination,” said the STIKO boss. “This could be a hit in terms of effectiveness, mucosal immunity and acceptance.”
Astraseneca skepticism “has been confirmed”
Mertens, however, thinks little of the vaccines from Astrazeneca and Sputnik. “My certain skepticism about Astrazeneca has been confirmed, although the effectiveness is quite high. We cannot assess Sputnik any further, I only know of two published studies on it,” explained Mertens.
From the decision paper of the Prime Minister’s Conference on Thursday it emerged that the federal and state governments want to introduce a general vaccination requirement “from around February 2022”. The ethics council should submit a recommendation on this by the end of the year. The vote in the Bundestag should take place without any group pressure. According to a report, vaccination requirements for staff in nursing homes will apply from March.
At the same time, Mertens warned against false expectations in the upcoming decision on a vaccination recommendation for five to eleven year olds. “A vaccination recommendation cannot serve to compensate for wrong measures. If we started with the fact that a medical intervention – nothing else is a vaccination – is used to compensate for wrong political decisions, it would be completely absurd. It cannot be” said the STIKO boss.
Recommendation should come before December 13th
Mertens once again made it clear that the vaccination recommendation for children from the age of five should be expected in good time before the child’s vaccine is delivered, i.e. before December 13th. The STIKO boss also expects a vaccine for children under five years of age. “I can imagine that. Especially if you look at the speed at which Covid vaccines are being developed. But also with any vaccines for under five-year-olds, you have to look carefully at the effectiveness and safety on the basis of scientific findings must, “said the virologist.
He particularly emphasized the need for a careful scientific examination of all relevant data. “The legitimate security aspect must be fully taken into account,” said Mertens. For many of them, child vaccinations cannot go fast enough – “also so that school operations can be maintained, which incidentally, in my opinion, should not be made dependent on the vaccination. However, it is still the task of the STIKO to work out a recommendation based on based on the best available scientific evidence, “says the virologist.
Mertens would also follow the scientific recommendation if he decided to vaccinate his own grandchildren. “I would rely on science. If, after evaluating all the scientific data, the STIKO came to the conclusion that the vaccination of previously ill children would be recommended, then I would personally act on this recommendation,” Mertens said.