Spread taken into account

On the Florence trip had been happy in the Biel Steiner students safe: The Tuscan city each year attracts millions of tourists, it is regarded as the cradle of the Renaissance.

But hardly had the twelve Steiner-student of the 10. Class arrived in Italy, came bad news from home: At your school in Biel, there have been several measles cases. The outbreak was so serious that the Bernese Kantonsarztamt loss all unvaccinated students for three weeks of school. "From a public health perspective, this step is necessary," said the authority on 13. March. At the behest of the Canton of the Steiner school had to cancel all the public events up to the spring holiday: no piano Concerto, no theatre, no quarter celebration.

The Kantonsarztamt refused to make the trip to cancel or to inform the Italian health authorities.

the school was known As the Kantonsarztamt the exclusion of Steiner, was the Florence trip. And actually traveled in the group of three students that are not vaccinated against measles. You would have to infect before the departure in Biel with the measles virus and the disease can procrastinate to Italy.

But the Kantonsarztamt refused to make the trip to cancel or to inform the Italian health authorities. The Canton of doctor Linda Nartey says it had been informed about the trip "only after the departure of the school class". As, however, it appeared that none of the departed students had previously been at the school in Biel", in contact with a measles case," and therefore, "not as a contact person" have been considered, "are not informed by the Italian authorities". In other words: Would have stayed with the tour group in Biel, instead of travelling to Italy, would not be allowed to go the three unvaccinated student to school.

The measles-lock fristdes Covenant was to short

in fact, according to the practice of the Federal office for health (BAG), Switzerland informed foreign authorities when you travel from country people, when in the case of this measles outbreak. A message could be done in Bieler's case, however, The Steiner-students are back in Switzerland, but in General, measles is four days before the typical skin rash is contagious. If by Tuesday one of the students is sick, must make the BAG a message to Italy.

The Biel case shows how quickly the measles spread, you are one of the most contagious viruses. At the Steiner school there had been in February an outbreak. The cantonal doctor had already had a three-week school to the exclusion of all unvaccinated children and teachers. But exactly one day after the expiry of the period of time is another Steiner-students became ill. As a result, the authorities had to start the procedure from the beginning.

That outbreaks in Steiner schools often to measles, is no coincidence.

Although the school lock in Biel was too short to eliminate the measles, wants to hold the BAG to his recommendations. "The three week rule has proved its worth," says Mark Witschi, head of section for recommendations on vaccination and control measures. It was also not planned, "special rules for Steiner schools".

it was Steiner schools to outbreaks often, measles is not a coincidence. In these schools, the have dedicated to the Anthroposophical doctrine of the "wholeness of soul, spirit and body", the vaccination coverage is usually low. After all, some of the parents decided after the first outbreak in Biel to vaccinate their children. In order to protect future infants under six months, pregnant women and patients with immune deficiency.

But the Impfskepsis is still large. To date, the Steiner school waives a prompt to Vaccinate. After all, she recommends that the parents now, in a recent Communiqué, "to consult with a doctor about vaccinations".

(Sunday newspaper)

Created: 16.03.2019, 23:05 PM