Mr Haas, Mr Lauterbach, the role of children in the pandemic was argued from the start.

At first they were “virus spreaders”, then not pandemic drivers after all.

Now it is said that the Delta variant threatens children in particular, that we are facing a hot autumn.

How do you see it

Lucia Schmidt

Editor in the "Life" section of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

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    Stefan Tomik

    Editor in politics.

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      Haas:

      When Corona started, nobody knew what the new SARS virus was doing to our children. Caution was fine. But now we have data. Of 1650 children and adolescents under the age of 18 in German clinics, only 85 had to go to the intensive care unit for the entire 18 months. Every single fate is unfortunate, but when you extrapolate that to all 15 million children, the risk is very manageable. Eight children died of or with Corona in Germany. The virus is a big problem - for adults. We didn't have to close schools and barrack children.

      Lauterbach:

      Thank goodness there were very few severe courses in children - because only a few children are sick.

      School closings have contributed to this.

      Nevertheless, one in 200 sick children and adolescents under the age of 16 has to go to hospital, which is no small matter.

      Two to three percent still have symptoms after three months.

      In the US, the odds are much higher.

      You mention "Long Covid".

      Studies from the USA and Great Britain show that even months after the illness, these children have headaches or sleep disorders, are unable to concentrate or have no drive.

      Doesn't that worry you, Mr Haas?

      Haas:

      No.

      You also have to look at what happens in a comparison group of uninfected children.

      A study from Dresden shows that there is no difference at all between the two groups.

      A study from Australia also suggests that the unspecific complaints are primarily related to the lockdown.

      They are triggered psychologically.

      Lauterbach:

      I see it differently.

      The worrying data from the British statistical office are also checked with a comparison group.

      I take children's complaints seriously.

      How reliable is this data at all if the delta variant gains the upper hand?

      And what does that mean for schools?

      Lauterbach: It was

      initially assumed that the delta variant had a more severe course of the disease. This has not been confirmed with children. Even so, it is much more contagious, and children will also be more affected. If they got together again in regular class without masks, we would have huge outbursts. Nobody wants changing lessons with masks and tests either. It is therefore best if we vaccinate the children now and let them start a largely normal school year. We should offer them what we allow ourselves.

      Haas:

      I am not against vaccinations and I also want the children to return to a normal life as soon as possible. But we don't need to vaccinate them for this. Data from Israel and England show that Delta means nothing worse to children than the previous variants or the wild type. We also know that outbreaks in schools happen at the same time as outbreaks in communities. The virus is carried into schools by adults. It is extremely rare for children to infect each other, their teachers or parents.