With its decision, the Federal Constitutional Court defines more precisely than with the Covid vaccination how much basic rights can be restricted to protect the weak – and makes it clear once again what freedom really means.
comment by
Wolfgang Janisch
The Karlsruhe decision on the constitutionality of the measles vaccination came as no surprise. The fact that interventions such as the injection of a vaccine are reasonable was formulated by the Federal Constitutional Court months ago in the decision on corona vaccination for medical and nursing staff. At that time it was mainly about people in need of care, with measles it’s about babies, pregnant women and immunocompromised. But the principle is the same: the physical integrity of individuals can be restricted to protect the most vulnerable in society from disease.