“Empathy for children is often missing”: a mixed methods analysis of a German forum on COVID-19 pandemic measures

During pandemics, governments should prioritize addressing the societal and mental health needs of children by implementing participatory and family-oriented public health measures for schools and kindergartens. Clear communication coupled with consistent design and implementation of safety measures and regulations, would be crucial for building trust in the general population and for ensuring compliance regarding testing and vaccination. Communicating the benefits and risks of vaccinating children is of paramount importance for informed decision-making among parents. In future epidemics, computer-aided analysis of large online qualitative data would offer valuable insights into public sentiments and concerns, enabling proactive and adaptive epidemic responses.