German Constitutional Court rejects objections to compulsory vaccination

In a press release of the Court, the judges state that although compulsory vaccination infringes on employees' right to physical integrity, it is justified to protect vulnerable groups in hospitals, retirement homes and nursing homes, German Protestant news agency IDEA writes.

The German government requires hospitals and care institutions to vaccinate their staff. German media reported that dozens of complaints had been filed against the requirement, one of which was an appeal to the constitutional protection of the body. Many complainants are employees in health care institutions who do not want to be vaccinated, for example, because they have no confidence in the development and effectiveness of certain vaccines.

General obligation

Hospital owners had also recently called for a suspension of the measure. One of the arguments was that compulsory vaccination in hospitals was no longer justified because of the failure to introduce mandatory general vaccination. It would lead to a problematic polarisation in the workforce. Moreover, compulsory vaccination would be superfluous because clinics ensure that the masks and regular tests for staff and visitors provide a high level of protection against infection.

At the beginning of April, the government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz failed to pass a general obligation to vaccinate through the German Parliament. Some politicians, including three regional health ministers in the south of the country, are trying to resurrect the plan because they believe a new wave of the coronavirus will arrive in the autumn.