A syringe is prepared to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech coronaviruses disease COVID 19 vaccine at Havelhoehe community hospital in Berlin, Germany, January 14, 2021. BERLIN, Dec 5, Reuters - The German government wants to make COVID 19 vaccine mandatory for people working in hospitals, nursing homes and other medical practices from March 16 according to a draft legislation seen by the government on Sunday.
Germany has been reticent about making vaccines compulsory for a fear of exacerbating a shortage of medical and nursing home staff, but support has grown for the idea as the country has faced a surge in infections in a fourth wave of the epidemic.
The legislation will be presented to the Parliament in the coming week, according to the Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats who are set to form the new German government on Wednesday.
The draft seen by the Reuters said staff working in these areas would have to prove that they are vaccinated or recovered from COVID - 19 or present a medical certificate to show they can't be vaccinated by March 15.
The legislation allows dentists, veterinarians, and pharmacists to be allowed to give shots for a temporary period, as the country seeks to vaccinate or offer boosters to 30 million people before Christmas.
The proposed legislation will allow Germany's federal states to institute more drastic lock down measures if needed, and extends until Feb. 15 temporary measures.