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COVID-19 VACCINES

German states call for mandatory Covid vaccinations for health workers

German states are calling for mandatory vaccinations for medical workers, care workers, and other professions that work closely with "vulnerable people".

Published: 18 November 2021 18:02 CET

A doctor receives a Covid jab from a medical student in Tübingen. Covid vaccination could soon become compulsory for medical and care staff in Germany.

A doctor receives a Covid jab from a medical student in Tübingen. Covid vaccination could soon become compulsory for medical and care staff in Germany. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marijan Murat

The heads of the 16 federal states say mandatory vaccinations should be carried out “on a facility-by-facility basis” for staff in hospitals, old people’s and nursing homes, and in mobile care services if there is contact with people who are particularly at risk.

State leaders agreed on this point on Thursday during consultations with the federal government on a number of potential Covid protection measures.

The states consider such a duty “necessary” and have asked the federal government to implement it “as soon as possible”.

“We need to provide additional protection for vulnerable groups in particular,” the resolution says.

KEY POINTS: Germany sets out planned Covid restrictions for winter

Earlier this week Green Party parliamentary leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt said that the parties in talks to form a new coalition government – the Social Democrats, Greens and FDP – were discussing the possibility of compulsory vaccinations for some occupational groups, such as carers.

The German government has previously ruled out a vaccine obligation for some parts of the population in contrast to some other countries, like neighbouring France, which introduced compulsory vaccines for healthcare professionals.

In addition to the heads of the state governments and Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), the SPD candidate for Chancellor and Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) took part in the video conference on Thursday, as well as other executive federal ministers.

READ ALSO: Is Germany planning mandatory vaccinations for some employees?

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Italy's constitutional court upholds Covid vaccine mandate as fines kick in

Judges were asked this week to determine whether or not vaccine mandates introduced by the previous government during the pandemic – which applied to healthcare and school staff as well as over-50s – breached the fundamental rights set out by Italy’s constitution.

Italy became the first country in Europe to make it obligatory for healthcare workers to be vaccinated, ruling in 2021 that they must have the jab or be transferred to other roles or suspended without pay.

The Constitutional Court upheld the law in a ruling published on Thursday, saying it considered the government’s requirement for healthcare personnel to be vaccinated during the pandemic period neither unreasonable nor disproportionate.

Judges ruled other questions around the issue as inadmissible “for procedural reasons”, according to a court statement published on Thursday.

This was the first time the Italian Constitutional Court had ruled on the issue, after several regional courts previously dismissed challenges to the vaccine obligation on constitutional grounds.

Photo by Pascal GUYOT / AFP

One Lazio regional administrative court ruled in March 2022 that the question of constitutional compatibility was “manifestly unfounded”.

Such appeals usually centre on the question of whether the vaccine requirement can be justified in order to protect the ‘right to health’ as enshrined in the Italian Constitution.

READ ALSO: Italy allows suspended anti-vax doctors to return to work

Meanwhile, fines kicked in from Thursday, December 1st, for almost two million people in Italy who were required to get vaccinated under the mandate but refused.

This includes teachers, law enforcement and healthcare workers, and the over 50s, who face fines of 100 euros each under rules introduced in 2021.

Thursday was the deadline to justify non-compliance with the vaccination mandate due to health reasons, such as having contracted Covid during that period.

Italy’s health minister on Friday however appeared to suggest that the new government may choose not to enforce the fines.

“It could cost more for the state to collect the fines” than the resulting income, Health Minister Orazio Schillaci told Radio Rai 1.

He went on to say that it was a matter for the Economy and Finance Ministry, but suggested that the government was drawing up an amendment to the existing law.

READ ALSO: Covid vaccines halved Italy’s death toll, study finds

The League, one of the parties which comprises the new hard-right government, is pushing for fines for over-50s to be postponed until June 30th 2023.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had promised a clear break with her predecessor’s health policies, after her Brothers of Italy party railed against the way Mario Draghi’s government handled the pandemic in 2021 when it was in opposition.

At the end of October, shortly after taking office, the new government allowed doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to return to work earlier than planned after being suspended for refusing the Covid vaccine.

There has been uncertainty about the new government’s stance after the deputy health minister in November cast doubt on the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines, saying he was “not for or against” vaccination.

Italy’s health ministry continues to advise people in at-risk groups to get a booster jab this winter, and this week stressed in social media posts that vaccination against Covid-19 and seasonal flu remained “the most effective way to protect ourselves and our loved ones, especially the elderly and frail”.

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