MeterSometimes it feels uncomfortable even in the ivory tower.Actually Standing Vaccination Committee At the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO), a committee of 18 volunteer scientists meets twice a year to make recommendations on infectious diseases and how to prevent them. But since the coronavirus hit the world and the first vaccines against it were on the market, STIKO has not been asked to comment almost every week. Expert committees are not always easy, because politics and the public expect it to draw a clear line, and science does not always draw a line.
STIKO’s recommendations are based on scientific data. When these data are missing or contradictory, experts will retain or even modify their opinions. For example, this is the case with the question of which vaccine is suitable for which age group. The most recent debate is about vaccinating minors. STIKO has been criticized for not giving general advice to children aged 12 to 17, but only advising them under special circumstances. The argument of doctors and virologists is very clear: Now that it has been proven that children are unlikely to be infected with Covid-19, the risk of side effects must first be determined. However, the relevant data is still missing-this is why no recommendations have been made. So far, it is understandable. But STIKO performed mathematical calculations without politics. Given that the holidays are coming to an end, the vaccination campaign is slow, and last but not least is the election campaign. She hopes to get as many children and young people as possible to get vaccinated.
