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Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (CSU), Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), Federal Minister of Justice Christine Lambrecht (SPD)
Photo: Stefan Boness / Ipon / imago images / IPON
The number of daily vaccinations is falling drastically, while the incidence values continue to rise: German politicians are now discussing more freedom for people who have been vaccinated twice.
Because vaccinations are still considered the best protection against illness with the coronavirus.
However, compulsory vaccination is not an option for the federal government.
Federal Justice and Family Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD)
told Deutschlandfunk: “There will be no general compulsory vaccination.” It is also not legally possible.
In her opinion, a corona vaccination could not be a prerequisite for an employment contract.
If there are people who refuse to be vaccinated in homes or hospitals, there is still the possibility that they will have to be tested regularly.
The fact that vaccinated people, genesis and tested people are treated equally when it comes to access to events has proven itself.
After everyone had received a vaccination offer, one had to ask why the general public had to pay for these tests, says Lambrecht.
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU)
spoke out in favor of more freedom for vaccinated people. "This is not discrimination against the non-vaccinated," he said in an interview with RTL and ntv. He respects it if someone decides against a vaccination for personal reasons. "But the non-vaccinated person must also understand that we have to protect society as a whole and that only the vaccinated can therefore be admitted to larger community events."
The
chairman of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery
, also advocates giving vaccinated people more freedom in everyday life. There is no reason to withhold their basic rights from vaccinated and immune people, "just because a couple of eternal skeptics evade the vaccination," Montgomery told the newspapers of the Funke media group. It is not about privileges for vaccinated people, but about restrictions on fundamental rights.
For the
FDP party chairman Christian Lindner
, as for Lambrecht, opening concepts based on tests make sense. They have already proven themselves in the past during the last few waves. At the same time, these are "an opportunity for us to be able to keep social life open in autumn when the numbers rise". There had to be a "political guarantee" that a new lockdown would be ruled out, demanded Lindner on ZDF. He also refused to be vaccinated. "I do not consider this path to be the right one in Germany, but it is clear that we have to act," said Lindner, referring to the "increasing, but not yet threatening" corona case numbers.
Lindner also suggested expanding the use of mobile vaccination teams and carrying out a new assessment of the pandemic.
"The orientation towards incidence, as we are now seeing it again in the public debate, has long since ceased to be convincing," he said.
Chancellery Minister Helge Braun (
CDU
)
had discussed possible restrictions for non-vaccinated people at the weekend if Germany threatened a high fourth wave.
"That can also mean that certain offers such as restaurant, cinema and stadium visits would no longer be possible even for tested unvaccinated people because the residual risk is too high," he told the "Bild am Sonntag".
Union chancellor candidate Armin Laschet
(CDU)
spoke out against it on Sunday.
"I do not believe in compulsory vaccinations and do not believe in indirectly putting pressure on people to get vaccinated," he said in the ZDF summer interview.
The
left leader Janine Wissler also
turned against Braun's advance.
Threatening disadvantages to people who have not yet been vaccinated is the wrong way to go, she told the "world".
Especially since there is still no vaccination recommendation from the Standing Vaccination Commission for many people, such as for children under the age of twelve and pregnant women.
The
SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich
, like FDP politician Lindner, suggested expanding the use of mobile vaccination vehicles. "If the people do not come to the vaccination, then the vaccination must come to the people," said Mützenich to the editorial network Germany. The experience so far with sending vaccination vehicles to certain parts of the city is good. "We have to fully exhaust these possibilities." Younger people also need more targeted offers.
At the weekend, several federal states signaled their readiness for an early federal-state conference.
According to Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD), a federal-state meeting must take place as soon as possible.
Berlin's Governing Mayor Michael Müller (SPD) currently sees a need for coordination at short notice.
Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) tied his willingness to conditions such as the decision of a schoolchildren vaccination program.
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) announced on Thursday that the next prime ministerial conference on the corona pandemic, which was actually planned for the end of August, would be brought forward.
lau / Reuters / dpa / AFP