(GermanPolicy.com) – Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) would like to approach the CDU-CSU in view of a general obligation to vaccinate against the Coronavirus. Like the SPD, he two Union parties are in favor of compulsory vaccination, said Lauterbach. There is an opportunity to agree on a joint motion in the Bundestag at the end of next week. Lauterbach said that he himself was in favor of compulsory vaccination from the age of 18, not from the age of 50. However, in the event of a compromise, all sides would have to be ready to move in order to prevent a “severe autumn wave with new restrictions.”
As far as the control of compulsory vaccinations is concerned, Lauterbach wants to rely on the support of the health insurance companies: “Anyone who cannot prove to their health insurance company that they have been vaccinated would receive mail” with reference to fines.
Request for talks rejected by the CDU-CSU
Tino Sorge (CDU), the health policy spokesman for the Union parties in the Bundestag, has meanwhile rejected a request for talks from which was extended to him by the SPD parliamentary group leader in the German parliament, Mützenich. The Union wants to introduce compulsory vaccination from the age of 50. Sorge is confident that the Union parties’ motion could win a majority.
Paula Piechotta, member of the Greens in the Bundestag, however, emphasized: “The acceptance of compulsory vaccination will be highest if it is decided” by a cross-party broad majority. FDP health politician Andrew Ullmann, on his part, said he had already sought talks with MPs from the CDU-CSU parliamentary group.
Ministry of Health to improve procedures
In the latest news, the Ministry of Health will receive an additional 7.7 billion Euros from the Federal Ministry of Finance for the current calendar year. This should continue to allow free Covid tests, especially for citizens. Four billion Euros from the additional funds are earmarked for this. Lauterbach’s Ministry expects vaccinations to cost 1.5 billion Euros.
The Federal Court of Auditors had recently accused the Ministry of Health of “structural procedural deficiencies.” There is a lack of “control options of the Federal Government,” a report by the Federal Court said. According to the document, “the Federal Ministry of Health was neither informed of the actual expenses of the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians nor of the results of the accounting audits” as far as Covid tests were concerned. The Federal Ministry of Health has already promised to develop better procedures.
