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December 01, 2021 – 10:19 am clock
Majority for compulsory vaccination
Things are getting tight for the unvaccinated. The pressure is increasing every day! Because the vaccination rate in Germany is still relatively low, all sides are now calling for mandatory vaccination: Doctors, politicians and employers’ associations are in favor of it. Otherwise you will hardly be able to rule out a fifth or sixth corona wave. And the majority of the population is also in favor, as current surveys show. Legal experts see no legal problems. Quite the opposite: Those who do not get vaccinated despite having to be vaccinated could even face delicate consequences – up to and including termination at work and withdrawal of their driver’s license.
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The state has a duty to protect corona sufferers
In many federal states, people who have not been vaccinated are already being sidelined: Visits to restaurants, walks through the Christmas market or other events – everything is only possible with 2G or 2G +. Unfortunately, unvaccinated people have to stay outside. And because that’s still not enough to reduce the incidence and relieve the intensive care units, is now being discussed across the country about compulsory vaccination. Now the Bundeswehr is rushing forward and wants to introduce compulsory vaccinations for its personnel. The question arises, not without good reason: is that even possible?
“A compulsory vaccination is an encroachment on the physical integrity of those who have to be vaccinated even though they do not want to. That must of course be justified. The state is not only responsible for those who oppose the vaccination, but for all people a duty to protect “, the lawyer Joachim Wieland almost summarized the problem.
In plain language, this means: the legislature has to weigh up. On the one hand, there is the right of those who oppose the vaccination and who insist on their physical integrity. On the other hand, there is the extremely high number of deaths that the corona pandemic has brought so far. “As a result, in my opinion, the duty to those who otherwise get sick or even die clearly outweighs”, explains constitutional lawyer Wieland to ntv.
Penalties for those who refuse to be vaccinated
If the legislator decides to make vaccinations compulsory, this could have consequences for those who remain unvaccinated. As of today, unvaccinated employees have to present an up-to-date test every day when they want to enter their workplace. Those who refuse face a reduction in their salary and, in the event of repetition, even dismissal, as lawyer Nicole Mutschke explains in the video.
But completely different sanctions are also possible for those who refuse to be vaccinated. “The state could start with student loans, housing benefits and the like and make the payment dependent on the vaccination status. It could withdraw a driver’s license from a person who refuses to be vaccinated,” says Joachim Wieland. The lawyer considers such sanctions quite feasible. He points out that several thousand people are already in custody today for failing to pay a fine.
And the state would also have the majority of the population on its side. Because according to a recent survey, a large majority in Germany is now in favor of a general compulsory vaccination against the coronavirus. In a survey by the opinion research institute YouGov, 69 percent of those questioned were in favor of mandatory immunization against the dangerous virus. 23 percent would reject this. And in the RTL trend barometer, too, a large majority of those surveyed are in favor of tougher measures in the fight against the coronavirus.
Two weeks ago (November 11), in a YouGov survey, only 44 percent of those questioned were in favor of a general vaccination requirement. 27 percent rejected this. Overall, the mood has changed since the start of the corona vaccinations in Germany almost a year ago. A few days after the first vaccination on December 26th last year, 56 percent were against a general vaccination requirement and only 33 percent were in favor, according to a YouGov survey. It would be a hot start for the new traffic light government: They would have to introduce compulsory vaccination. (aze)
Exciting documentaries about Corona on RTL +
The big business with the pandemic: At a time when everyone is worried about their health, fraudsters are always finding new ways to make money illegally. Regardless of whether it is forged vaccination cards, negative tests or scams in the test centers – the rip-off is lurking everywhere. Even high-ranking politicians are suspected of having filled their own pockets during the Corona period. Our reporters have researched Europe-wide – the whole documentary on RTL +.