District makes vaccination offer in schools: Start in Bad Arolsen

Vaccinations are an important component in the fight against the pandemic - especially with regard to the spread of the delta variant, which currently almost dominates the infection situation nationwide. Therefore, the district has decided to take further precautions in the schools - and to offer vaccinations for young people from the age of 16 in the secondary schools. Yesterday, vaccinations were given in Bad Arolsen.

In Waldeck-Frankenberg, there are around 3,100 young people between 16 and 18 years of age. Some have already been vaccinated at the vaccination centre or by their family doctor. For the others, the district will make an offer of vaccination through the schools in the next two weeks. Around 100 pupils from the Christian-Rauch-Schule and the Kaulbachschule were therefore already vaccinated yesterday in Bad Arolsen by the district's mobile teams. Their parents were also offered vaccination in this context.

"Children and young people are the ones who have suffered most from the pandemic in recent months. We know that," says District Administrator Dr Reinhard Kubat. "With this campaign, we want to reduce the risk of infection in schools, especially after the summer holidays. The protection of our children and young people is close to our hearts. However, we unfortunately cannot offer children any vaccination so far because of the current vaccination recommendation of the Robert Koch Institute." In order to at least protect young people as best as possible, the district has contacted all secondary schools in Waldeck-Frankenberg and offered to vaccinate all pupils aged 16 and over on site before the holidays.

This should take place in the next two weeks, so that the second vaccination after six weeks still falls within the period of the summer holidays. In this way, as many young people as possible should be fully protected by immunisation at the start of school. CRS headmaster Markus Wagener also welcomes this: "For our young people, the vaccination is like a gift and we are pleased that the district is making the vaccinations possible quickly and unbureaucratically on our premises."

The district is in talks with other schools about this: "We are in consultation with the respective school administrations in order to make further offers for pupils immediately," says Karl-Friedrich Frese, First District Commissioner and Head of the District Health Department. He points out that - since many of the young people are still minors - the written consent of both legal guardians to the vaccination must be available and one parent must be present at the vaccination. The schools where the vaccination is to take place soon will inform the parents about all the details.