Weekly happenings at the Bundestag
In a significant move to boost vaccination rates, Germany has introduced a new law, the Law to Strengthen COVID-19 Vaccination Prevention, which mandates vaccination or proof of recovery for health and care workers in specified settings, effective from March 15, 2022.
The law, passed on December 10, 2021, and amended to the Infection Protection Act, requires employees in hospitals, nursing homes, doctors' offices, disability facilities, and other health sectors to provide proof of vaccination or recovery. This mandate is backed by the law and aims to ensure a safer environment for patients and staff.
However, efforts to expand the vaccine mandate beyond health workers have faced challenges. Proposals to mandate vaccination for all adults or all those aged 60 and over were debated but ultimately rejected in early 2022. A proposal supported by Chancellor Scholz and Health Minister Lauterbach, aiming at a mandate for those aged 60+, was defeated in an April 2022 Bundestag vote. Public support existed, but legal and political obstacles prevented broader mandates beyond health workers.
As of mid-2025, no vaccine mandates related to travel into Germany or for the general population are currently imposed. Vaccine requirements to travel to Germany are not in effect.
Meanwhile, the infection situation in Germany remains high, with a persistently high number of unvaccinated individuals. To combat this, a corresponding initiative by the SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens, and FDP factions will be discussed in the first reading this week.
In addition to the vaccine mandate, the extension of the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF) deadline allows large German companies to receive state funds beyond the end of the year. Companies now have until April 30, 2022, to apply for WSF, with an average consultation period of six weeks ensuring approval before expiration.
To accelerate the expansion of necessary infrastructure, 750 million euros were made available to federal states and municipalities, with an initial claim deadline of December 31, 2021. From 2026, primary school students will have a legal claim to full-day care, with the federal government setting up a special fund of 3.5 billion euros in December 2020.
The claim for increased short-time work allowance is being extended until March 31, 2022, and the possibility for employees to earn additional income during short-time work is being considered. Due to the long-term consequences of the corona pandemic and the flood disaster in July 2021, a change to the Full-day Funding Act and Full-day Funding Assistance Act is necessary, extending the program by one year.
The Protection Measures Exceptions Ordinance is being amended to allow vaccinated and recovered individuals to be included in participant limits for private gatherings. Studies show that the risk of infection is particularly high among the unvaccinated, and the majority of COVID patients in intensive care units are unvaccinated.
Doctors, dentists, veterinarians, and pharmacists will be allowed to vaccinate, provided they are adequately trained. The EU Commission extended the temporary framework for state aid until the end of June 2022 in November. Some federal states have issued ordinances with more intensive measures due to high infection rates, which can continue until at least February 15, 2022.
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- The new law, the Law to Strengthen COVID-19 Vaccination Prevention, introduced in Germany on December 10, 2021, covers policy-and-legislation, as it mandates vaccination or recovery for health-and-wellness workers in specified settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and doctors' offices.
- Despite proposals aiming to expand the vaccine mandate beyond health workers, these efforts have faced challenges in early 2022, as seen in the Bundestag vote that defeated a proposal for a mandate for those aged 60+ supported by Chancellor Scholz and Health Minister Lauterbach.
- While no vaccine mandates related to travel or the general population are currently imposed in Germany (as of mid-2025), policies focusing on science, health-and-wellness, and public safety are still under discussion, such as an initiative by the SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens, and FDP factions to combat the persistently high number of unvaccinated individuals.
