Olivia Christie
Germany is facing it’s worst pandemic moment to date; with Covid-19 cases soaring across the country. The infection rate jumped to 400 cases per 100,000 people on Tuesday – the 16th day straight, it has hit a record level.
Health Minister Jens Spahn has warned if the current situation is not brought under control, Germans will either be “vaccinated, recovered or dead” by the end of the winter.
ICU beds are close to capacity and health experts have cautioned that those needing emergency treatment may no longer be guaranteed the level of care that is normally available.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has already announced tighter restrictions on the unvaccinated. In most regions, only those who have received both shots of the vaccine or have proof of a negative test are able to access non-essential facilities, such as restaurants or concert halls.
However, a sizeable majority has continued to resist the jab. Only 68 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated; a figure considerably lower than the target of 75 per cent set by the government.
“Compulsory vaccination is not a violation of civil liberties, but the prerequisite for us to regain our freedom,”
Consequently, the force of the fourth wave of the pandemic has triggered calls for mandatory vaccination, a policy that was initially dismissed by Merkel in June 2021.
KV Berlin, an association representing doctors, said in a statement on Monday that “the time has come for a vaccine mandate.”
Notably, compulsory vaccination is no longer a move favoured only among medical professionals; an increasing number of politicians are also beginning to back the policy.
“Compulsory vaccination is not a violation of civil liberties, but the prerequisite for us to regain our freedom,” wrote the premiers of the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
German Uncertainty
Earlier this week, Germany’s neighbour, Austria, became the first country in Europe to introduce a vaccine mandate. With case rates at a similar level, the question remains whether Germany will be the next country to follow suit.
“So far, none of the incoming parties have had the guts to take the lead and implement unpopular measures.”
However, given the current political climate, this remains uncertain. Merkel is due to leave office next month and Germany is subsequently in the midst of a leadership flux. So far, none of the incoming parties have had the guts to take the lead and implement unpopular measures.
Furthermore, Germany is also facing concerns about the supply of the Biotech/Pfizer jab. The company has had to bring forward the delivery of one million doses originally planned for December.
Extra Measures & Restrictions
This begs the question- will other measures such as national and regional lockdowns need to be readopted? And what other challenges does the reimposition of such measures pose to the German government?
Germany’s federal system of government means that the power to implement Covid-19 measures lies in the hands of the regional governments. Until now, the government has voted against reintroducing the emergency degree that allowed the national government to take uniform action to deal with the pandemic.
Nevertheless, several states such as Saxony and Bavaria have taken matters into their own hands, enforcing restrictions such as the cancellation of Christmas markets. Meanwhile, Brandenburg has begun the Christmas holidays early, meaning that children no longer need to go to school.
With the seriousness of the Coronavirus situation in Germany only set to get worse, it is clear that decisive action needs to be taken.
However, with Merkel’s current government determined to leave any key decisions in the hands of the next administration, it seems for now at least, a nationwide approach to tackling the virus, including mandatory vaccinations, is not on the immediate horizon.
Featured image courtesy of Photo by CDC on Unsplash. No changes or alterations were made to this image. Image license can be found here.
