Prime Minister warns radical opponents of vaccination and wants vaccination compulsory

Created: 12/22/2021, 2:56 PM

From: Fabian Raddatz

Stephan Weil (SPD) is now threatening extremists with consequences - and is urging a general vaccination requirement.

© Michael Matthey / dpa

In Lower Saxony, too, the mood at corona demos is becoming increasingly aggressive.

Prime Minister Weil is now threatening extremists with consequences - and is urging a general vaccination requirement.

Hanover - Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil wants to put a stop to the radicalization of vaccination opponents and critics of the corona policy.

The security authorities are following the development very closely, said the SPD politician to the German Press Agency in Hanover.

“Right-wing extremist circles in particular need to know that the country will not be afraid to take rigorous action.

Everyone should have the opportunity to express their opinion.

But there are limits, and we will clearly point them out in Lower Saxony and sanction violations. "

The head of government emphasized that with a view to the supposed division of society, cause and effect should not be confused.

“The unvaccinated pose a major health risk to the rest of society.

So we have to make sure that those who are vaccinated are as safe as humanly possible, ”said Weil.

"It is up to the unvaccinated to do their part to improve the situation."

Weil warns radical opponents of vaccination and wants vaccination compulsory: break out of the "vicious circle"

Interior Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) said a week ago that although there have not yet been any concrete indications of attacks from the milieu of those who trivialize the corona, as with any radicalization, attacks cannot be ruled out.

Two police officers were attacked by demonstrators in Celle and Wolfsburg on Monday evening.

Weil also renewed his campaign for a general vaccination requirement.

According to the unanimous assessment of science, constantly updated vaccination protection is the best way to break out of the “vicious circle” from one wave of infections to the next.

"I am very aware that compulsory vaccination represents a significant encroachment on fundamental rights, but the current Corona requirements are also significant encroachments on fundamental rights, including the rights of those who have been vaccinated," he explained.

“That is why I consider a general vaccination requirement to be necessary, as soon as possible.

Realistically, it can be expected in two to three months at the earliest.

And the absolute prerequisite for this is, of course, that there is enough vaccine. "

Compulsory vaccination in Lower Saxony: Still unsure for which age groups it should apply - fines for violations are in the room

Weil left it open for which age groups the vaccination should apply.

“We'll have to discuss that with the experts.

You will certainly be much more careful with children than with adults. "

Violations of the compulsory vaccination would likely be sanctioned with fines, said the Prime Minister.

However, access restrictions could also make vaccination mandatory.

"In Italy, for example, 2G has made a massive contribution in the workplace to getting the pandemic under control," said Weil.

"With a compulsory vaccination it would be made clear that such access restrictions are legally possible because unvaccinated people do not adhere to the legal requirements."

Corona in Lower Saxony: Because for compulsory vaccination and criticizes the Stiko

In Weil's view, the vaccination centers do not need to return in order to be able to organize the nationwide vaccinations. "We found in Lower Saxony that the mobile vaccination teams and the stationary decentralized offers vaccinate more people in a short time than the earlier vaccination centers," he said. This system in the municipalities is more user-friendly and closer to the citizens, and the materials from the previous vaccination centers are also used.

Weil, on the other hand, criticized the role of the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) in the pandemic.

“I notice that we are always running late in Germany.

That was the case with boosters, that was the case with adolescents, that was the case with child vaccinations.

“Many doctors, however, base their behavior very strictly on the Stiko.

That cost us valuable time and is now catching up with us. "

According to Weil, Lower Saxony is "coping well" with the corona crisis

Nevertheless, the Prime Minister assessed the state government's corona balance sheet as positive.

Lower Saxony has always been on the cautious side and has maintained protective measures such as the mask requirement for most school years even in late summer.

Lower Saxony also led the way with the “Lockdown light” nationwide, proclaiming warning level 3 for the Christmas season.

So far, some things have been done right.

Prime Minister Stephan Weil about Lower Saxony's performance in the Corona crisis

"If I look at the numbers overall, Lower Saxony is one of the countries that are currently still coping relatively well with the challenges of the Corona crisis," explained Weil.

"We are also very worried, but when it comes to infections and the burden on hospitals, the results suggest that we have done a lot right so far."

Corona in Lower Saxony: Opposition accuses government of nearsightedness

In a national comparison, Lower Saxony is better off than many other countries in the number of cases with recently just under 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within a week.

The hospitals took in patients from other federal states.

The booster vaccination rate is also relatively high at more than a third of the population.

However, the opposition has repeatedly accused the grand coalition of not pursuing a forward-looking strategy in dealing with the pandemic.

Many rules have been changed or rejected at short notice.

Last week, a court also declared the 2G rule in retail to be unnecessary and lifted it.

Instead, the FFP2 mask is now mandatory.

The 2G rule at hairdressers was previously lifted by a court.

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