[Findings from the Implementation of the Measles Protection Act after the First Three Years of its Introduction - Data from Darmstadt Dieburg (Hesse)].

Abstract

Background: When the Measles Protection Act as part of the Infection Protection Act came into force 2020, various types of facilities were obliged to report. The public health department of the city of Darmstadt and the district of Darmstadt Dieburg aimed to find out to what extent these facilities have complied with the reporting obligation and whether any conclusions could be derived from the data on the vaccination status of the respective group of people.

Method: Reports from the facilities and the feedback from those affected (or their legal guardians) were reviewed and evaluated descriptively. They were divided into groups (1) schoolchildren, (2) children from other childcare facilities, (3) those in municipal accommodation for refugees and (4) those employed in one of these or in a medical facility (§§23, 33, 36 German Infection Protection Act).

Results: 1,527 children (2.5% of all pupils in Darmstadt Dieburg) with incomplete or unknown immunity to measles were reported from 138 schools. 70% of these provided documentation of sufficient immunity after receivng the letter from the public health department, so that it can be concluded that less than 1% (0.76%) of children were without measles protection. 17 children with incomplete vaccination status were reported from the other childcare facilities. 3,986 people with incomplete vaccination status were reported from the refugee accommodation facilities, of which 566 (14.2%) submitted complete proof after receiving a letter from the public health department. A total of 17 employees were reported from the facilities according to §§23, 33 and 36 Infection Protection Act.

Conclusion: The reporting obligation was met in very different ways by different facilities. No statement could be made about the vaccination status of the various groups of people affected by the Measles Protection Act, as it could not be assumed with certainty that the facilities had reported comprehensively.