Vaccination yes or no?
The FT interviewed representatives from politics and society in the Freising district.
District
– It was an “orientation debate”: On Wednesday afternoon, compulsory vaccination against the corona virus was discussed in the Bundestag for the first time.
Probably no other topic is currently being discussed more intensively and contrary in this country.
The Tagblatt has asked political and social forces in the Freising district - and sometimes received remarkable feedback.
(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)
The politic
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) already campaigned for mandatory vaccinations for adults in mid-March: “I think it is necessary and will actively support it.”
SPD member of the Bundestag Andreas Mehltretter made a similar statement
: “Vaccination rates are still too low to break the cycle between relaxation and lockdowns and to protect lives.
That is why I have spoken out in favor of compulsory vaccination.
Vaccination is not just a private matter - we need everyone's solidarity to prevent hospitals from being overloaded.
The too many remaining unvaccinated people of all ages have a major impact on the spread of the virus.” In order to prevent another corona wave next winter, he believes that vaccination from the age of 18 is necessary.
It should take effect by autumn at the latest.
Leon Eckert, who represents the Greens in the Bundestag
has not yet made a final decision: “I will make my approval of a general obligation to vaccinate dependent on the specific form of the draft law.
For me, the focus is not only on weighing up individual freedom decisions and the necessary solidarity of society as a whole, but also on concrete verifiability and possible sanctions," he explains.
However, Eckert considers it urgent to immunize people who deal with particularly vulnerable groups in their daily work.
Specifically, this not only affects the staff in the medical or health sector, for whom the facility-related vaccination requirement has already been decided from mid-March, but also the fire brigade, THW, police, armed forces, as well as teachers, educators and other people who look after children.
AfD member of the Bundestag Johannes Huber
speaks out clearly against compulsory vaccination. As a result, “the pandemic cannot be ended because none of the COVID vaccines purchased by the EU and ordered by the federal government can prevent either infection or infecting other people”. He stresses: It is therefore in no way appropriate to suspend the overriding fundamental rights of human dignity and physical integrity in relation to the inappropriate vaccines. In view of the rapid transformation of the virus in the direction of omicron-like variants with high infectivity and less danger, compulsory vaccination is not necessary, but on the whole unconstitutional.”
Freising's Lord Mayor Tobias Eschenbacher
explains: "The question of introducing compulsory vaccination is a medical necessity.
And whether it would be effective can only be answered scientifically.
The question of enforcement and the resulting legal requirements and sanctions, on the other hand, must be answered politically.” However, since he is neither an expert nor a member of the decisive political committees, he cannot give a professional answer to the question.
"Personally, I understand the introduction of a general obligation to vaccinate and assume that the colleagues in the Bundestag will deal with it and weigh up all the relevant information accordingly," said Eschenbacher.
+
Tobias Eschenbacher, Mayor of Freising
© ft
critical infrastructure
Manfred Kürzinger, chairman of the THW helpers' association in Freising,
is in favor of compulsory vaccination - and "as soon as possible".
He explains: On the one hand, the hospitals would be relieved due to easier courses, on the other hand, the operations that are currently being postponed could be carried out.
A third point that is close to his heart: The obligation to vaccinate is justified “also because of the fairness towards those who want to be vaccinated, who are already doing everything they can to return to social normality”.
+
Manfred Kürzinger, Chairman of the THW Helpers' Association
© ft
"Vaccinate yes, compulsory vaccination no," says
Freising's pharmacy spokeswoman Ingrid Kaiser
.
“I think the vaccination or vaccinations against Corona are very, very important.
For me it is the most important way out of the pandemic, but I personally reject a general or partial vaccination obligation for certain people or professional groups.
+
Ingrid Kaiser, Freising's pharmacy spokeswoman
© ft
The
Klinikum Freising
does not comment on the FT request.
"We cannot and do not want to give an official statement on the subject of compulsory vaccination, since this is a regulatory and ethical discussion," writes hospital spokesman Sascha Alexander.
With a view to the institution-related vaccination requirement, it was left to communicate the information under labor law and the consequences to all employees without comment.
"Now we are curious to see how the unvaccinated employees decide," writes Alexander.
social forces
"The
Caritas Center Freising
is in favor of a general obligation to vaccinate in the event of an obligation to vaccinate," says district manager Anja Bungartz-Pippig.
A duty only for certain professional groups is the wrong signal.
"She is giving up solidarity with those who have been on the front lines since the beginning of the pandemic," said Bungartz-Pippig.
The pandemic is exacerbating the nursing shortage, making patient care increasingly challenging.
Putting additional pressure on employees in the health sector by making vaccination compulsory and putting even more on their shoulders cannot be the right way.
"Fighting the corona virus is a task for society as a whole and must not be passed on to individual institutions or groups of people.
If vaccination is compulsory, then for everyone.”
+
Anja Bungartz-Pippig, Caritas District Manager
© ft
Manuela Paparizos, chairwoman of the Aktive City Freising retail association
, writes when asked about her opinion on compulsory vaccination: "Whether a compulsory vaccination of any kind would be appropriate or not, and is suitable for shortening and/or ending the pandemic and at the same time a compatible path with our health system, our local and global economy, the education system for our children and our free democratic principles is probably one of the most difficult social questions to assess at the moment, which a number of institutions and committees have been dealing with for months and also not make a final statement.
I cannot give an assessment for or against compulsory vaccination.”
Oliver Dorn, Head of the Freising Adult Education Center
, says: "I am against compulsory vaccination, especially since this vaccination does not do what it is actually intended for.
Those who have been vaccinated can continue to fall ill and infect other people.” He demands: “Everyone should decide for themselves, as with the flu vaccination.” However, he adds: “On the advice of general practitioners, risk groups should consider vaccination for their own good .”
+
Oliver Dorn, head of the Vhs Freising
© ft
In response to inquiries from the
Freising cultural office
and the
city youth welfare
office, the city press office said that the two contact persons for this survey were not available.
Markus Khauer, head of facilities at the Schönblick retirement home in Nandlstadt
, also
writes.
“We will not take a position on this subject.”
Claudia Theumer, headmistress of the Karl-Ritter-von-Frisch-Gymnasium in Moosburg
, explains: “Unfortunately, I am probably not the right contact person for this question about a possible compulsory vaccination.
If you have any questions about the school, I'm happy to provide information."