Press review
Fourth corona wave
From the “ultima ratio” to the risk of polarization: this is how the media judge the debate about mandatory vaccinations
A firefighter is vaccinated against corona in a new vaccination center in Düsseldorf
© Malte Krudewig / DPA
In view of the fourth corona wave, the call for mandatory vaccinations is getting louder. Several prime ministers are now also in favor of the measure. An overview of the debate in the press.
Corona numbers reach new records every day. The federal states are trying to counteract the trend with 3G at work and in transport, 2G in the cultural and leisure sector and in particularly critical regions even with exit restrictions. But experts warn that stricter measures will not be enough to effectively get the fourth wave under control.
For many, a general corona vaccination is a last resort. In neighboring Austria, this should come as early as February. According to health experts, several prime ministers such as Markus Söder and Winfried Kretschmann are now speaking out in favor of the measure. Many German media also support the debate on an “ultima ratio”, but criticize a possible push-button action. An overview.
“Augsburger Allgemeine”: As long as there is no compulsory vaccination, it is everyone’s right not to be vaccinated for whatever reason. When a “moral duty” is now urged from politics, one can ask the question of how many politically responsible people behave: Have they not also suppressed reality in the past few months? Just denied the epidemic emergency?
“Berlin newspaper”: A vaccination requirement is a major encroachment on personal rights. You have to weigh it up and communicate it very well in order to avoid further polarization and social division. However, communication is not exactly the strength of the forces involved. This shows Spahn’s disaster communication around the vaccines from Biontech and Moderna. Fortunately, surveys show that a majority of the population is in favor of a general vaccination requirement. According to surveys, there is even less resistance among those who oppose vaccination than there was a while ago. The population is evidently further than politics. This is an opportunity if one wanted to impose such an obligation or even just lead the debate about the circumstances under which vaccination would even come about. However, German politicians can be trusted to waste everything and then come back when the people have long since had other concerns.
“Frankfurter Rundschau”: Corona has divided society – also because the parties and the federal and state governments did not manage to move forward courageously and decisively despite their knowledge of the pitfalls of a pandemic in the Bundestag election year. The result: Even if a lot reminds us of the botch a year ago with lockdown light in November and a real lockdown at Christmas – Germany is not experiencing any déjà vu with the second Corona winter. Germany is experiencing an unprecedented disaster. On December 9, the federal and state governments will come together again and want to review the relaxed corona policy without the possibility of lockdown. It is quite possible that they will have to reverse that and also have to issue a mandatory vaccination. In order to overcome the crisis, two important challenges have to be overcome: Correct wrong decisions and let the majority get their justice. That’s the way it is in a democracy. There is a decision and it also applies to the minority.
“New Osnabrück Newspaper”: The fourth corona wave will be harder than the previous ones because the vaccination gap is too big, the delta variant is spreading more aggressively, the booster vaccinations are progressing too slowly and the capacities of intensive care medicine have decreased. The majority of the population has a declining understanding of the minority who do not get vaccinated. The call for compulsory vaccinations does not sound absurd. This ultima ratio could also stand before the Federal Constitutional Court. But what would that be gained? There is a great risk that anti-vaccination opponents, corona deniers and right-wing extremist groups will radicalize further. The attempted storming of the Bundestag and the riots in several European cities warn not to ignore the social polarization.
“North Bavarian Courier”: If all appeals do not bear fruit, if all persuasion work does not significantly increase the quota of those willing to vaccinate, then the pandemic can only be defeated with state pressure. That is not the silver bullet. Unfortunately, if there is no insight, coercion cannot be avoided.
“Nürnberger Zeitung”: The current corona situation should at least be comparable to the measles threat at the time. In addition, the discussion about the point of vaccination has now been conducted in sufficient detail. It has not brought about a sufficient improvement in the willingness to vaccinate. It is time for bold action.
“Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung”: But there are also vaccination critics who make rational arguments and who might be persuaded. And politicians – regardless of the government – must take care of them: A compulsory vaccination, which so far could only be justified for employees in sensitive areas, needs to be prepared and widely discussed. This also includes an open approach to claims that have proven to be either baseless or overambitious. So it was not possible to vaccinate the country out of the pandemic – also because the effect of the vaccine lasts for different times. Furthermore, the truth is that the booster vaccination could only break a fifth wave in all likelihood. That is not guaranteed. It depends very much on the next Minister of Health. Karl Lauterbach would be a specialist – unlike the incumbent.
“Rhein-Zeitung”: In the matter of the matter, a vaccination obligation does not go any further: Should the police lead away patients and get doctors to force vaccinate? Or do you want to litigate for a fine for months? Anyone who wants to change their minds unwilling to vaccinate has to tackle them in their everyday life. If arguments do not convince you, then perhaps an exclusive lockdown: If you are not allowed to go anywhere without vaccination except to the supermarket, you may find your way to the doctor after all.
“Stuttgarter Zeitung”: Because Germany is worlds away from a vaccination quota required for herd immunity. Compulsory vaccination would certainly be an effective measure to increase the vaccination rate in the long term. In the meantime, a narrow majority of the population, in some surveys even a clear majority, is in favor of the obligation. Vaccination is not a private matter – even if it is seen differently by some and is repeatedly used as a justifying argument against vaccination. In any case, one thing is clear: Compulsory vaccination would be a less drastic encroachment on fundamental rights than those that will most likely threaten us again.
“Southgerman newspaper”: Few decisions have the potential to divide a society more deeply than the compulsory vaccination. Incidentally, this applies not only to the opponents – but also to those who have run out of patience with the naysayers. Anger can also change sides. What is needed now is the last attempt to increase the vaccination quota – and at the same time to lead a debate as to the point at which compulsory vaccination becomes inevitable. It belongs to the ethics council, which includes experts from the WHO. But above all: this question must be debated in the German parliament. It is wrong to fight a pandemic that either does nothing, or does too little, or uses the toughest conceivable measures without interruption. If the vaccination rate does not increase despite all efforts, the virus mutates, if the fourth wave is followed by a fifth wave, compulsory vaccination will become inevitable anyway. But saying yes to such a measure cannot be made as easy as saying no at the beginning of this pandemic.