Health Minister Karl Lauterbauch vaccinates a volunteer.
(Photo: Reuters)
Berlin The debate about mandatory corona vaccination in Germany is entering the decisive phase. In a few weeks, the Bundestag should vote on it. He will be listening to experts on Monday.
The statutory health insurance companies have now warned Parliament of practical problems: their central association (GKV) does not consider the planned compulsory vaccination to be feasible. The letter from all insured persons alone is “impossible with the health insurance companies’ own and on-board resources,” according to the statement by the GKV for the Bundestag hearing.
Obligation to vaccinate: health insurance companies lack paper for letters
The problem: Due to a lack of paper, the necessary letters could not be sent. A necessary Europe-wide tender and the lack of paper would rule out the timely dispatch of the letters to around 60 million affected people by May 15th.
The cash registers also warn against millions of inquiries and complaints that could overload their call centers. Technically, it is also not possible to securely check vaccination certificates – apart from the digital vaccination certificate.
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Basically, according to the report, the health insurance companies criticize that the control of a state vaccination obligation would be transferred to them. That is politically wrong.
The health insurance companies refer to a judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court, according to which their main task is to guarantee health insurance protection: “The transfer of control obligations to the health insurance companies deviates significantly from this principle.”
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Employers’ associations: Vaccination register is missing
The Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) explained: “Compulsory vaccination can be a useful contribution to increasing the vaccination rate if it is practicable and implementable and the control and enforcement is properly regulated.” Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccination register, nor are there disseminating electronic health records. The recording and control of compulsory vaccinations via the statutory health insurance companies, as provided for in the drafts, threatens to be very time-consuming and error-prone in the implementation.
Hospitals for compulsory vaccination in Germany
In a statement, the German Hospital Society spoke out in favor of all adults becoming obligated and “supported by a broad political basis”. She referred to the compulsory vaccination for clinic staff that had already been introduced. In view of the continuing tense situation on the wards, it can no longer be conveyed that employees have to accept them, but that patients can decide for or against vaccinations based solely on personal considerations.
The German Society for Infectious Diseases explained in its statement: Despite intensive efforts, it was not possible to achieve a sufficiently high vaccination rate. Mandatory vaccinations for adults offer the opportunity to “reach them safely”.
A further restriction to people over 50 years of age or risk groups is not recommended. An additional protective effect by reducing the virus circulation by vaccinating as many people as possible is “essential for the goal of reducing the burden of disease”.
Largest support for compulsory vaccination in the Bundestag
The professional association of paediatricians also advocated compulsory vaccination for all adults. “With their behavior, unvaccinated adults in particular restrict the basic rights of children. We think that is unacceptable,” it said in a statement.
In the Bundestag, the draft for compulsory vaccination from the age of 18, which more than 230 MPs support, has had the greatest support so far. It was submitted by a group led by Greens expert Janosch Dahmen and SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Wiese. In addition, there is a draft by a group led by FDP MP Andrew Ullmann for an obligation to provide advice and then a possible obligation to vaccinate from the age of 50.
A group led by FDP Vice Wolfgang Kubicki, however, rejects compulsory vaccination. Union and AfD have also submitted applications. The Bundestag is expected to decide at the beginning of April without the usual parliamentary group specifications.
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