Berlin Jan. 9 (BNA): Germany’s ruling parties are pressing mandatory vaccination plans against the coronavirus, saying lawmakers could take months to discuss the controversial measure in parliament, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel on Sunday quoted the deputy leader of the Parliamentary Rally of Social Democrats, Dirk Wiesse, as saying that the Bundestag should aim to complete its deliberations on a vaccine mandate during the first quarter of 2022.
Britta Haselman, leader of the Green Party caucus, told Funk Media Group that the first debate could take place in late January.
With only a few parliamentary sessions in February, this could mean that the House of Representatives will not pass the bill before the end of March. Then the Bundesrat, Germany’s upper house, will take up the matter in April, which means the earliest date it could come into effect would be a month later.
Tagesspiegel reported that implementation could be delayed until June to ensure technical conditions, such as a nationwide vaccine registry.
Among those who oppose a vaccine mandate are some members of the Liberal Democrats, who are part of the ruling coalition, and the former German health minister who pledged last summer not to provide a general mandate for vaccines. Political leaders agreed to allow lawmakers to vote in line with their conscience rather than on partisan grounds on the issue.
The looming mandate has also been a rallying point for outspoken anti-vaccine activists who have taken part in protests against pandemic restrictions in Germany. Some of the recent demonstrations turned violent, with protesters attacking police officers after being ordered to disperse.
Approximately 72% of Germans are considered ‘fully vaccinated’, while 42.3% received an additional booster dose.
Germany’s disease control agency has reported 36,552 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, and 77 deaths.
AOQ