The debate about compulsory vaccination is in full swing. On Wednesday, the Bundestag will discuss the possible form of the obligation for the first time.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin A few days before the first consultations on compulsory corona vaccination in the Bundestag, the plans of the supporters are taking shape. The deputy SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Wiese, who, together with other members of the traffic light coalition, is preparing the key points for compulsory vaccination from the age of 18, now gives details of the plans: The obligation should be limited to one to two years, apply to no more than three vaccinations and be enforced through fines, says the domestic and legal politician of the German Press Agency.
On Friday, Wiese, together with six politicians from the Greens and FDP, announced a group application for compulsory vaccination from the age of 18 in a letter to all members of the Bundestag except for those from the AfD. It is about “finding a sustainable, proportionate and at the same time targeted solution,” the letter says.
These are the first details of the proposals that will be debated in the Bundestag on Wednesday:
1. Compulsory for only three vaccinations
Two, three or even more in the end? It must be clarified how many vaccinations are necessary to fulfill the obligation. “On the basis of the current studies, one can say that with three vaccinations one has achieved a good basic immunization against a severe course,” says Wiese. “It may later be that it makes sense for one or the other to carry out another booster vaccination, for example for those who are already ill or the elderly. But that should be voluntary.”
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2. Limited to one to two years
“This compulsory vaccination should not apply forever,” says Wiese. “It may be that at some point we will have such a high level of basic immunity that vaccination is no longer required.” When it comes to the length of the period, the MPs want to rely on the advice of experts. “But it will certainly not be just a few months, but rather one to two years.”
3. Fine as the main sanction
And which sanctions should be used to persuade unvaccinated people to vaccinate? “As of today, I would be more in favor of a pure fine,” says Wiese. According to the law on administrative offenses, fines range from five to 1,000 euros. “In the event of non-payment, an individual penalty payment could also be considered,” says the SPD politician. “So you could then also take personal living conditions into account when determining the amount.” The upper limit for a fine is 25,000 euros according to the Administrative Enforcement Act.
4. Vaccination register too complex
The implementation of the vaccination requirement could be done by recording vaccinations in a central register. However, its structure is complex and there are concerns from data protection officers. “Due to time constraints, this doesn’t make sense for the current debate,” says Wiese. The obligation to vaccinate is intended to last for the next autumn and winter. Setting up a vaccination register would take too long for that. “There are a few ideas on how to write to the citizens anyway: via the health insurance companies or via the municipalities that have the registration data,” says Wiese.
Other MPs for compulsory vaccination
The North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU), on the other hand, is campaigning for an accelerated procedure in the Bundestag and Bundesrat before the federal-state consultations, so that compulsory corona vaccination from the age of 18 can come into force in April, or at the latest by the beginning of May. Wüst expressed skepticism about a vaccination requirement discussed in the Union and FDP only from the age of 50: “Personally, I tend to require vaccination for all adults with a few exceptions. I don’t see compulsory vaccination for children, that should remain in the hands of the parents.”
The milder omicron variant did not change his position on the question. “It is irresponsible for a state to simply rely on the infection with a dangerous virus that can be life-threatening, especially for people with previous illnesses.” Vaccination is better than “than a constant threat of lockdown”.
The health policy spokesman for the Green Group, Janosch Dahmen, also wants to introduce mandatory vaccinations from the summer. “From my point of view, you should either have three vaccinations or two vaccinations and a recovery,” says Dahmen of the newspaper “Bild am Sonntag”.
Virologist for compulsory vaccination from the age of 50
The virologist Melanie Brinkmann, on the other hand, advocates compulsory vaccination against Corona for people over 50. “I’m not a fan of compulsory vaccination, but I am skeptical whether we can close the vaccination gap with other measures such as vaccination campaigns and education alone so that we can find calm waters Brinkmann told the Rheinische Post. “If everyone over 50 was vaccinated by autumn, we could go into next winter with more peace of mind.”
A vaccination requirement for people over 50 would make sense, said Brinkmann, with a view to a corresponding requirement in Italy. So far, it is predominantly this age group that makes most corona hospital treatments necessary. However, she pointed out that younger people could also become seriously ill and their risk could be greatly reduced with a vaccination. The professor from the Technical University of Braunschweig sits on the Corona expert committee of the federal government.
While virologists and politicians are still debating the first forms of compulsory vaccination, public approval of general compulsory vaccination against the corona virus in Germany is falling. However, there is still a clear majority in favour. According to a survey by the opinion research institute YouGov on behalf of the German Press Agency, 60 percent are in favor of general vaccination, 32 percent are against it, and 8 percent do not provide any information. At the beginning of December, 63 percent were still in favor and only 30 percent against.
According to the current survey, approval of compulsory vaccination increases with age. Of those aged 18 to 24, only 48 percent are in favor and 35 percent are against. In the over-55 age group, 68 percent are in favor and only 26 percent are against.
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