Measles vaccination
Implementation of the Measles Protection Act
The Measles Protection Act came into force over two years ago (on 01.03.2020).
According to this law, people who work, are looked after, cared for or educated in certain facilities (listed below) must prove that they are immune to measles infection.
Even for people who were already cared for or worked in community facilities before March 2020, the required proof must now be submitted by 01.08.2022 after the end of the transition period (from 01.03.2020 to 31.07.2022).
However, this only applies to people born after December 31, 1970. This is because the legislator assumes that, due to the high infectiousness of measles, almost all older people have already had a measles infection in their childhood, i.e. before the measles vaccination was introduced.
The Measles Protection Act covers the following facilities:
- Day care centers, nurseries and day care centers
- Schools and other educational institutions
- Hospitals
- Facilities for outpatient surgery
- Preventive care or rehabilitation facilities in which medical care comparable to that provided in hospitals is provided
- Dialysis facilities
- Day clinics
- Maternity facilities
- Treatment or care facilities that are comparable to one of the [previously] mentioned facilities
- Medical and dental practices
- Practices of other human medical professions
- Public health service facilities in which medical examinations, preventive measures or outpatient treatments are carried out
- outpatient care services that provide intensive outpatient care in facilities, residential groups or other forms of communal living
- rescue services
- (children's) homes
- Facilities for the communal accommodation of asylum seekers, persons required to leave the country, refugees and ethnic German repatriates
The above-mentioned communal facilities that employ or care for persons affected by the vaccination obligation are obliged to submit reports.
Notifications from Jena facilities must be sent to the Health Department of the Jena City Administration:
You register your facility via the reporting portal.
- You will be activated manually and then informed by the Health Department.
- You register using the login details provided and provide the necessary information.
Overview of affected persons
|
Type of institution |
Person is working/employed in facility |
Person is cared for/provided for in the facility |
|---|---|---|
|
Proof required |
Proofrequired |
|
Proof required |
Proof required |
|
Homes |
Proof required |
Proof required |
|
Hospitals |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Facilities for outpatient surgery |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Preventive care or rehabilitation facilities |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Preventive care or rehabilitation facilities (with medical care similar to hospital) |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Dialysis facilities |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Day clinics |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Maternity facilities |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Treatment or care facilities |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Medical practices |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Dental practices |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Practices of other human medical professions* |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Facilities of the public health service |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Outpatient care services |
Proof required |
No proof required |
|
Rescue services |
Proofrequired |
No proof required |
|
Community facilities for the accommodation of asylum seekers, persons required to leave the country, refugees and late repatriates |
Proof required |
Proof required |
* For example: Dietician, occupational therapist, midwife/maternity nurse, speech therapist, masseur, medical bath attendant, orthoptist, physiotherapist, podiatrist and psychotherapist
Proof of vaccination protection
Proof of vaccination or recovery must be submitted to the management of the facilities/companies concerned by 01.08.2022. Proof of full vaccination/recovery must be provided by submitting the vaccination certificate. The proof must be checked by the management and this must be documented.
Exemptions from the obligation to provide evidence
If employees or other persons working in the facility/company can provide a medical certificate stating that they cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, the obligation does not apply. In addition to the consequences under administrative law in the context of enforcing the facility-related vaccination obligation, the presentation of forged or false certificates can also have consequences under labor law and criminal law. The issuing and use of false and incorrect health certificates (including vaccination documentation) is punishable under Sections 277 to 279 of the German Criminal Code.
Children do not need a measles vaccination until they are 1 year old. Up to the age of two, only one measles vaccination is required, after which two vaccinations are necessary for complete immunization.
In addition, as already mentioned at the beginning, the age limit of 31.12.1970 applies: anyone born before this date is not subject to the obligation to provide proof because the legislator assumes that almost all older people have already survived a measles infection.
Reporting obligations of the institution or company management
If employees or other persons working in the facility/company do not submit proof of status by the end of 31.07.2022 or if there are doubts about the authenticity or correctness of a proof, the management of the facility/company is obliged to report the persons concerned (with personal data) to the responsible health authority. The health authority in whose district the respective facility or company is located is responsible.
Persons who are to work in the facilities or companies listed above from 01.08.2022 must submit a corresponding proof of status to the management of the respective facility or company before starting their work. The following also applies here: If there are any doubts about the authenticity or accuracy of the content of a submitted proof, the management of the respective facility or company must immediately notify the responsible health authority and provide the health authority with personal data.
Measles
Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases in humans. It mainly affects children. In addition to skin spots, the disease causes fever and a considerably weakened general condition. In some cases, the disease is severe and causes inflammation of the lungs and brain, which can become life-threatening. The severe and always fatal brain disease subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) can occur as a late consequence of a measles infection at an early age.
In Germany, measles is a notifiable disease. There is no specific treatment, but the disease and therefore the complications can be prevented by vaccination from the age of twelve months.