The federal government has clearly rejected compulsory vaccination in Germany.
Berlin - There shouldn't be such a thing through the "back door", as Vice Government Spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said on Monday in Berlin.
"We want to do everything we can to avoid a situation like the one we had in the spring," said Demmer, referring to the high infection rates at the time.
Despite the still low numbers, the current situation is cause for concern.
The R-factor, which describes the number of infections from an infected person, is currently high, and the number of cases has risen by 75 percent within a week.
If this trend continues, "we must take additional measures".
When considering what to do then, it is important that those who have been vaccinated twice and those who have recovered "no longer contribute relevantly to the infection process," emphasized Demmer.
According to Demmer, the heads of the state chancelleries will be advised about the possible further measures, and there will also be a monster president conference.
However, Demmer did not name a date for this.
The aim of the federal government is to protect people and prevent overloading the health system.
Federal Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) also said on Deutschlandfunk: "There will be no general compulsory vaccination."
She takes the view that this is not possible, she said.
"On the one hand, this has something to do with the fact that this vaccine has not been on the market that long, and I don't think it's necessary either."
At the same time, Lambrecht makes it clear that it is also rejecting mandatory vaccinations for employees, for example in the healthcare sector.
People who refuse to be vaccinated in nursing homes or hospitals could instead be tested regularly.
Instead of compulsory vaccination, Lambrecht raised the possibility that unvaccinated people who could theoretically be vaccinated will have to pay for corona tests in the future and these will no longer be "at the expense of the general public".
In response to the initiative by Chancellery Minister Helge Braun (CDU) on restrictions for non-vaccinated people, Lambrecht referred to the freedom of contract enshrined in the Basic Law.
This already allows the catering industry, for example, to only serve those who have been vaccinated.
Braun had told "Bild am Sonntag" that the state had a duty to protect the health of its citizens.
This also applies to those not vaccinated against the coronavirus.
"Those who have been vaccinated will definitely have more freedom than those who have not been vaccinated," emphasized the CDU politician.
This triggered a broad debate over the weekend.
AFP / jp / cne
