“There is only this way” – organizers call for mandatory vaccinations for visitors and employees
From September, when everyone had a vaccination offer, organizers only want to grant access to those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered
Those: Getty Images / Lucas Ninno
In Italy and France it is the order of the day: compulsory vaccination. It applies to many areas and even jobs there. In this country, politics and business are still ducking. But now the first industry is putting pressure on it.
Rand 80,000 people took to the streets in Italy at the weekend, they saw red in the face of the obligation to have a green vaccination certificate. But the protest does not help them – Prime Minister Mario Draghi enforces that from August 6th, the green vaccination certificate with two documented corona vaccinations or proven corona disease is the ticket to public life in Italy.
Concerts and other public events, the interior areas of restaurants, theaters, museums, cinemas, even fitness studios and swimming pools may only be entered by those who have their passport ready.
Draghi wants to prevent the new lockdown in view of the increasing number of infections and decreasing willingness to vaccinate. The figures prove the Italians right: According to media reports, several hundred thousand additional vaccination appointments were made nationwide within a few hours.
The incentive of the restriction works. Not only Draghi dares to take this step, the Macron government is also currently relying on a health passport including mandatory vaccinations for key professions in hospitals or nursing, for example. Those who do not get vaccinated here do not lose their job, but are no longer allowed to go to work and lose their salary.
In Germany, on the other hand, there has so far been no political will to grant vaccinated people special rights: Both Chancellor Angela Merkel and Federal Minister of Justice Christine Lamprecht have again rejected the idea of compulsory vaccination at the weekend.
Special rights for vaccinated people when attending events
But the political front is shaking – and the first in the economy are also making friends with a concept based on the Italian model: Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer admitted in an interview at the weekend that he advocates special rights for vaccinated and convalescent people, for example when visiting events or restaurants – he takes up the concept from Italy.
In the event industry, he is running into open doors: “In the area of major events and concerts, there is only this route from the end of September when everyone has received a vaccination”, says Jens Michow, Managing Director of the Federal Association of the Concert and Event Industry. “Organizers should then be able to offer events to which, not least of all, only those who have been vaccinated or who have recovered have access via house rules.”
The staff and the artists should then be obliged to vaccinate for such events, so Michow. “For this we finally need clear framework conditions from politicians. Anything else has no prospects. ”According to Michow, the alternative – events still only require distance, mask requirements, and a limited number of visitors – is not economically viable. “If we don’t get such special rights for vaccinated and convalescents, there will never be any classic large-scale events again.”
Michow’s association is currently one of the few who dares to make a clear statement in favor of vaccination requirements and freedom rights for vaccinated people. Various other associations that WELT has asked – such as the restaurant association Dehoga, the trade fair association Auma or the German social association VdK – currently do not want to comment on a vaccination requirement for staff in public traffic or in care. Apparently the topic seems too sensitive to them.
A vaccination requirement is currently not an option for railway staff
The trade fair association Auma refuses to require visitors to be vaccinated, preferring to continue to use negative tests as a further option upon request. And the relevant Dax companies are currently hesitating: The clinic operator Helios, for example, rejects mandatory vaccination for staff on request, and they do not want to grant vaccination incentives such as additional payments or days off.
“Instead, we rely on conviction,” says a company spokeswoman. A vaccination requirement for employees who come into contact with customers is currently not an option at Deutsche Bahn either. The discounter market leaders Aldi and Lidl also reject incentives to vaccinate.
The impression remains: the economy is currently ducking. The benefits compared to the costs of a further lockdown would be clear. According to a study by the Munich Ifo Institute, each vaccine dose has a value of around 1500 euros for society – but of course that only applies if it is also vaccinated.
At the same time, however, the number of first vaccinations in Germany is currently falling to the level of February, according to the Federal Ministry of Health. Financial incentives to vaccinate could significantly increase the motivation to vaccinate – or, see Italy, the prospect of an almost unrestricted everyday life for vaccinated people.
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