Faced with the threat of a measles outbreak sweeping through the country, Angela Merkel’s CDU party and their coalition partners, the SPD, are reportedly considering making measles vaccinations mandatory for all children in Germany.

Measles outbreak in Germany

A recent spike in the number of measles cases in Germany has resulted in the issue being put back on the agenda, with a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health describing the rise as “concerning”. In particular, a recent outbreak in the German city of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, a part of the country where parents are increasingly choosing not to vaccinate their children, has lent renewed force to calls for compulsory vaccinations.

The vaccinations, which would be compulsory for all children under the age of 14, would be offered in German schools and daycare facilities to make them harder to ignore. Currently, the German healthcare system recommends that children receive the measles vaccination seven to 14 months after birth. As a recommended vaccine, any cost is covered by statutory health insurance but parents are not compelled to have their children vaccinated.  

SPD & FDP support compulsory measles vaccinations

The push for obligatory measles vaccinations is being spearheaded by the SPD, whose health policy spokesman Karl Lauterbach announced on Monday that the party would soon submit a proposal. For the most part, the call for compulsory vaccinations has received support from opposition parties, with the deputy head of the FDP, Michael Theurer, describing parents who fail to vaccinate their children as “irresponsible”.

However, the Greens have contended that forcing parents to vaccinate their children is the wrong approach. Health policy spokeswoman Kordula Schulz-Asche expressed that, instead of opting for coercion and punishment, the German government should do more to educate families about vaccines.

Rising numbers of measles cases in Europe

Measles is an extremely contagious viral disease and can be deadly in more serious cases. It is a significant cause of death among young people globally. Severe complications from measles include blindness, encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

Citing the 30 percent increase in measles cases worldwide, the World Health Organisation (WHO) lists vaccine opponents (so called “anti-vaxxers”) among the top 10 threats to world health. In 2017, there were around 1.000 measles cases in Germany; 400 patients were hospitalised and one died. Europe-wide, there were 23.927 cases of measles in 2017, compared with just 5.273 the year before.