Compulsory vaccination for people over 50 in Germany?
While the federal government’s plans for a general compulsory corona vaccination are making slow progress, the next vaccination debate is quietly but surely emerging.
“The benchmark for our actions does not have to be the number of infections, but the number of illnesses,” said FDP health politician Andrew Ullmann (59) and brought an age-dependent vaccination requirement for Germany into play.
Clear text: a vaccination for over 50-year-olds – like in Italy! The goal: to relieve hospitals.
▶ ︎ Ullmann’s suggestion: If the number of illnesses increases “despite all other measures, a selective, age-related compulsory vaccination could take effect. For example for people over 50 years of age – but so far that is only a consideration, ”he told the“ Augsburger Allgemeine ”.
Andrew Ullmann (59, FDP)Photo: dpa
The doctor and CSU health politician Stephan Pilsinger (34) had already proposed in December that vaccinations should be mandatory for people aged 50 and over. Because: Courageous decisions are needed for the future. This is the only way to get out of the “spiral of lockdown and loosening”, said Pilsinger to “Deutschlandfunk”.
At the same time, FDP politician Ullmann did not rule out the possibility that the debate could end prematurely. “In the next few weeks, Omikron may be so raging around the world that the pandemic will become an endemic. Then there is no need to debate whether vaccination is compulsory, ”he said.
Over 50 compulsory vaccination already applies in Italy
The Italian government introduced the mandatory spades for people over 50 years of age on Wednesday. The rule applies to both locals and foreigners residing in Italy.
The ulterior motive here as well: Above all, the age groups should be reached who have a higher risk of hospitalization – and with their vaccination, the burden on the clinics should be relieved.
▶ ︎ From February 15, everyone over 50 in Italy will only be allowed to go to work or have recovered from vaccinations. Penalty for unvaccinated people: 600 to 1500 euros!
In Greece it was decided that people over 60 should be vaccinated.
Federal government wants to stick to compulsory vaccination
So is the over 50 compulsory vaccination coming to Germany now?
One thing is certain: Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (63, SPD) and the Prime Minister of the Federal Government confirmed in their video link on Friday that they still consider compulsory vaccination to be necessary.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (58, SPD) is working under his own account “as a member of parliament” on a proposal for a general vaccination requirement for over 18-year-olds. On the other hand, there is resistance and disagreement within the FDP. Members of the Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki (69, FDP) had an application against submitted a general vaccination requirement.
It is planned that the Bundestag will probably decide on a general corona vaccination obligation this year in a free vote, i.e. without the usual parliamentary discipline.
Instead of a draft law by the traffic light government, the issue is to be dealt with by means of so-called group motions by members of parliament. The first discussion is an “orientation debate” in January. The SPD is aiming for a legislative process to be concluded “in the first quarter”, ie by the end of March.