Today, German MPs overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill that makes vaccination against covid-19 mandatory for employees in hospitals and nursing homes and a condition for working in those institutions.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach previously said in parliament that it was unconscionable that people working with particularly vulnerable people had not yet been vaccinated.
Out of a total of 689 MPs who voted for this law in the Lower House, 571 MPs spoke in favor, 80 were against and 38 abstained.
The bill needs to be approved by the Upper House, which is expected later today.
If the Upper House approves the bill today, workers in healthcare facilities will have to prove that they are fully vaccinated or have had a history of covid-19 by mid-March next year.
It is the first of two laws introducing compulsory vaccination in Germany. A second, more controversial law, which would make the vaccine mandatory for everyone, is being prepared and could be debated by parliament next month.
The far-right Alternative for Germany party opposes mandatory vaccination for all.
The former health minister in Angela Merkel's government, Jens Span, also said he would vote against the measure.
According to official data, about 69,4 percent of a total of 83 million inhabitants in Germany have been fully vaccinated.
Germany reported 61.288 new corona virus infections in the last 24 hours and 484 deaths.
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