The Federal Ministry of Health has reported an outbreak of measles among refugees in Tegel. This follows the diagnosis of a resident with the disease and the appearance of symptoms in other refugees. In response, the Ministry has decided to conduct a vaccination campaign this weekend to control the spread of the disease.
The first case of measles was recorded at the arrival center in Tegel. According to an announcement by the State Office for Refugee Affairs on Saturday, three other residents have since shown symptoms of the disease. The Ministry of Health has launched a vaccination campaign aimed at containing the outbreak and preventing further infections.
Currently, patients are accommodated in separate places from the rest of the population. The migrant reception center in Tegel currently houses 669 refugees from Ukraine, all of them in the damaged halls complex. The Ministry isolated two residential halls and a common area to prevent the outbreak.
This weekend, 400 people at the migrant reception center in Tegel will be vaccinated. The medical officer of Reinickendorf is currently on-site, and the German Red Cross has procured 400 doses of the vaccine for this effort. The center is highly prepared for the vaccination campaign. Each vaccinated individual will receive a wristband as proof of vaccination, allowing them to move freely. Translators will be available to inform all refugees about the vaccination process.
Residents who either refuse vaccination or have medical contraindications, such as pregnancy, will be relocated to a separate living area for 21 days, following the Ministry of Health’s orders. So far, only one person has declined vaccination, and after consultation with the health department, this individual has been permitted to leave Tegel.
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, measles is a highly contagious disease, and the risk of an outbreak in Germany is significant due to the national vaccination rate being below 95%. To achieve herd immunity and prevent the spread of measles, the vaccination rate must exceed 95%.
