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Vaccination center in Bremen West
Photo:
Sina Schuldt / dpa
The SPD parliamentary group in the Bremen citizenship is calling for a general vaccination to combat the corona pandemic.
"Precisely because we are the front runner in terms of vaccination quota in Bremen and still have comparatively low numbers, we feel we have a special responsibility to go ahead with the whole picture and to speak plainly," said parliamentary group leader Mustafa Güngör to SPIEGEL.
With around 82 percent, Bremen has the highest vaccination rate of the 16 federal states.
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Mustafa Güngör, leader of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bremen citizenship
Photo: SPD Bremen
The decision of the Bremen Social Democrats comprises three points:
"The unlimited implementation of booster vaccinations, as quickly and as much as possible."
Appointments should also "be offered and secured earlier than after a period of six months".
"The prompt introduction of a facility-related vaccination requirement for occupational groups with special responsibility towards vulnerable groups and those in need of protection - in nursing, in hospitals and in educational institutions."
That should happen by Christmas at the latest.
"The preparation of a general compulsory vaccination from the age of 18 in order to break a possible fifth wave right from the start." Open legal questions should be clarified by February 2022 in order to be able to introduce this compulsory vaccination immediately.
The Bremen Social Democrats ask the designated traffic light coalition in the federal government to regulate this nationwide.
"We didn't make the decision easy for ourselves," says Güngör.
Bremen has shown that with arguments, persuasion and, above all, offers that bring the vaccination to the people in the neighborhoods, very good results can be achieved.
"But the current development across Germany unfortunately shows that the nationwide vaccination quota is not sufficient to contain the pandemic permanently."
Something must be countered, said parliamentary group leader Güngör.
"We have to break the cycle that leads to new waves." When you talk about freedom, you have to look at the vast majority of the population who have been vaccinated.
These people have shown themselves to be responsible and show solidarity - and are now again threatened with restrictions due to a minority of those who have voluntarily not been vaccinated.
"That can't go well in the long run."
So far, the SPD has kept a low profile in the debate about a general vaccination requirement.
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had ruled her out at the weekend: There would "not be" a general compulsory corona vaccination.
Not only from Bremen is there a contradiction.
Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher was now more open than Maas: "I do not consider compulsory vaccinations to be ruled out if a sufficient vaccination quota cannot be achieved in any other way," said Tschentscher in Hamburg.
The general compulsory vaccination does not help in the acute situation, because it has to be introduced nationwide and this takes time.
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