Tuesday April 27, 2021
Criticism of results
Vaccination summit “lags behind reality”
More speed with vaccination, in perspective also the lifting of prioritization and first thoughts about the return of rights for vaccinated persons – many critics find these results of the federal-state summit insufficient and too vague.
Green parliamentary group leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt is disappointed with the results of the vaccination summit. “So that the vaccination campaign can develop faster in the next few weeks with better vaccine availability, there should have been clear agreements and preparations today for the early involvement of the more than 10,000 company doctors,” said Göring-Eckardt of the Funke media group. It must also be checked quickly whether the approval for children and adolescents can be extended for certain vaccines or how children can receive vaccination protection more quickly. The vaccination summit left many questions unanswered “and is lagging behind reality”.
The Green politician said she was pleased about possible easements for vaccinated people, which could come into force after May 28th. “It is good and overdue that restrictions for those who have already been vaccinated and recovered can soon be reliably and responsibly withdrawn.” It must be clarified quickly how proof of vaccinations or a survived corona disease should be provided in the practice.
FDP boss Christian Lindner is also dissatisfied: The company doctors “should be involved in the vaccination campaign as soon as possible. Otherwise there is a risk that vaccine will be dumped in the future, although the demand for vaccinations is high.” In view of the increasing deliveries of vaccines, Merkel reaffirmed her promise to make a vaccination offer to all citizens by the end of summer on September 21. Corona vaccinations should also be possible for everyone in Germany by June at the latest – i.e. without the previous prioritization with a fixed order. “That does not mean that everyone can then be vaccinated immediately,” said Merkel. “But then everyone can try to get a vaccination appointment and they will be given according to the supply.”
With a view to the coming weeks, the Chancellor said: “We will enter a transition phase that is not easy either.” There will be more and more people who are vaccinated, but there will still be a lot of people who are not in need of protection. The primary goal is to give everyone their basic rights back as quickly as possible
After the vaccination summit by the federal and state governments, the association of towns and municipalities is also missing concrete results on how to deal with vaccinated people. “It is regrettable that no final agreement was reached with the Federal Chancellor about the lifting of the restrictions on fundamental rights for fully vaccinated citizens at the conference of the Prime Ministers,” said Gerd Landsberg, General Manager of the Rheinische Post.
Municipalities are demanding “clear” resolutions
Landsberg emphasized again that it was not a question of granting special rights or privileges, “but of repealing unjustified encroachments on fundamental rights.” One expects “a quick agreement in the Bundestag and Bundesrat and a clear legal regulation as to when which fundamental rights restrictions are lifted. This applies in particular with a view to curfews and contact restrictions.”
The district council would also have liked a clearer result with a view to the debate about vaccinated people. “It is right if this also applies to vaccinated and convalescents quickly everywhere where a negative antigen test is sufficient. This would finally provide a perspective, especially for retail and gastronomy,” said District Assembly President Reinhard Sager of the Funke media group.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the country chiefs also discussed regulations for fully vaccinated and convalescent people on Monday afternoon, but as expected there were no resolutions. According to a key issues paper of the federal government from the weekend, the two groups could get the same exceptions for access to shops and services such as hairdressers that apply to those who tested negative. According to Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn, the Federal Council should make a final decision on May 28.
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