Young carriers of the viruses
Pediatricians recommend flu vaccinations starting in early childhood
January 9, 2024, 4:12 a.m
The Association of Pediatricians expects a severe flu wave that could peak in February. In order to contain the spread of the virus, doctors recommend vaccinating not only risk groups such as older and sick people. Flu protection makes sense for all children and young people.
The Federal Association of Pediatricians and Adolescents (BVKJ) advocates extending the recommendation of flu vaccination to all children and young people. “The current vaccination recommendation against influenza is only aimed at children with risk factors. In our view, this is wrong,” said association president Michael Hubmann to the newspapers of the Funke media group. Even healthy children are often carriers of the flu viruses.
It often happens that an infected grandchild only becomes slightly ill, but his grandparents become infected and get the dangerous influenza. “Our goal must be to prevent the spread of the virus through vaccination and thus reduce the burden of the disease for everyone. For this purpose, widespread vaccination from infancy onwards would make medical sense,” said Hubmann.
He is expecting a massive wave of flu. “We have a rather late start to the flu season, but a very rapid increase.” He still expects a strong wave of flu – “possibly with a second peak at the end of February.” According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), school-age children and young adults are particularly affected in the current wave.
Hubmann also complained about a lack of pediatricians. “In the past 30 years, far too few pediatricians have been trained, and now the baby boomers are retiring and leaving a huge gap.” Therefore, the practices need to be relieved quickly. “30 percent of our work has nothing to do with caring for children – but with unnecessary bureaucracy.”
This Tuesday, representatives of the private medical profession will meet with Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach from the SPD. The focus is on a package of measures for general practitioners’ practices, as ministry sources said. Accordingly, among other things, fee caps should be lifted for them. The focus would also be on easing bureaucratic requirements and regulations for home visits.