Legal information: Measles protection in women's shelters

The new version of the Infection Protection Act (IfSG n. F.) and the mandatory measles vaccination are intended to better protect particularly vulnerable people from infection in the future. Although women's shelters are currently not included in the measles protection law, not expressly mentioned and mandatory vaccination by law, FHK recommends voluntary implementation of the Measles Protection Act. 

Measles Protection Act Why? 

Measles is caused by viruses and is highly contagious. A measles infection is not a harmless disease. About one in ten people affected experience complications.

The Measles Protection Act is intended to provide better protection against infection, especially for vulnerable individuals and the community. People who come into regular contact with others in certain facilities must provide evidence of either adequate vaccination or immunity against measles. Lack of adequate measles protection not only poses a risk to one's own health, but also increases the risk of infection for people who cannot be vaccinated due to their age (e.g., infants under nine months old) or special health conditions.

No vaccination requirement for women's shelters?

The statutory measles vaccination requirement applies to persons born after 31 December 1970 and living in certain facilities cared for be or active .

The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) has not yet clarified whether women's shelters are covered by the new Measles Protection Act. Women's shelters are explicitly mentioned as institutions in the Measles Protection Act. notThe obligation to vaccinate people in a women’s shelter active as well as for residents and their children who live in a women’s shelter live, thus not simply by law.

However, women's shelters are classified according to the type of cohabitation, partly according to the length of stay and according to the specific services for children with the facilities expressly mentioned in the Measles Protection Act. comparableThis also applies to the Objectives of the Measles Protection Act: Women's shelter residents and children who do not (yet) have (adequate) measles protection (for example, due to pregnancy or infants under nine months old), as well as staff who are in constant contact with women's shelter residents and children, would be better protected.

Recommendations for practical implementation

Women’s shelter coordination therefore recommends, even without an explicit legal obligation, voluntary implementation of vaccination protection.

How this can be best handled in practice for staff and residents, what the legal situation is in detail, and what needs to be taken into account can be found in our FHK legal information: Measles protection in women's shelters (available for download below).

Should there be any changes regarding the legal vaccination requirement, we will inform you on the FHK homepage.