Introduction
Rubella infection is a globally spread viral disease that occurs mainly in childhood. The Permanent Vaccination Commission of the Robert Koch Institute, or STIKO for short, publishes the vaccination recommendations applicable in Germany. These include vaccination against rubella, usually in combination with vaccinations against measles and mumps as the so-called MMR vaccination.
The first vaccination should be given in the first 11 to 14 months of life, the second in the second year of life. Already in 2008, vaccination rates among school beginners of about 95% for the first vaccination and about 88% for the second vaccination were achieved. The goal of the WHO was to completely eliminate rubella and especially the existing risk of infection in the womb by 2010. Due to concerns of some opponents of the vaccination, this goal could not yet be fully achieved.
Advantages and disadvantages of rubella vaccination
Of course, with every medical treatment, the advantages and disadvantages must be weighed up and acted upon accordingly. However, with rubella vaccination the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages (pregnant women and their unborn children are also protected from serious and dramatic complications if the vaccination rate is high enough. In addition, children who for various medical reasons cannot receive a vaccination benefit from this protection.
Children’s diseases should therefore never be taken lightly. Against this background, the side effects of MMRV vaccination, such as fever or headaches, are easily accepted. With high vaccination rates, rubella can be eradicated throughout Germany. It is up to each individual to make his or her own contribution for his or her own well-being and the common good.
When should the baby be vaccinated?
If the mother has already undergone a rubella infection in her childhood or has received a double rubella vaccination, the newborn has a certain “nest protection” at first due to the mother’s antibodies. However, this protection decreases from week to week and therefore cannot replace a vaccination. According to STIKO recommendations, the first rubella vaccination should therefore be administered in the first 11 to 14 months of life.
The second vaccination should be given from the age of two in the period of 15-23 months of life. Vaccination before the age of 9 months is not recommended, as the effect is weakened by the immaturity of the child’s immune system and the mother’s still existing antibodies. It should only be considered in exceptional cases, for example in case of an outbreak of rubella. If the child is to be taken to a community facility, e.g. a day care center or be cared for by a childminder, the vaccination can be administered after the age of 9 months.
