(Bloomberg) -- Lawmakers from Germany's ruling coalition sealed a deal on proposed legislation that would require people aged 60 and older to get vaccinated against Covid-19 from October.
The agreement between senior members of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Free Democrats, which could still change before it's voted through parliament, includes the option of making Covid shots mandatory for everyone aged 18 or older if the development of the pandemic this fall warrants it, according to a paper published late Tuesday.
Efforts would be made initially to encourage voluntary inoculation for the millions of citizens who still haven't been vaccinated, according to the proposed law, which is due to go to a vote in the lower house of parliament on Thursday. The order for mandatory vaccination could be reversed in June if enough people have their Covid shots voluntarily by then, the lawmakers said.
“We are united by the goal of effective prevention through the highest possible level of basic immunity for all adults for the fall, because in this way we can prevent the health system from being overwhelmed,” they added.
Germany's latest wave of the coronavirus appears to be ebbing after peaking at the end of last month, although authorities are still registering more than 200,000 new cases and some 300 deaths on most days.
At the same time, with around 76% of the population vaccinated, pressure on intensive-care units is much lower than during previous peaks of the disease. Still, more than 15 million citizens eligible for Covid shots have not been inoculated.
Due to the delicacy of the issue, Scholz and his ministers decided not to impose mandatory vaccination through regular government channels and instead encouraged Bundestag lawmakers to draw up the required legislation.
Read more: Germany's Covid Situation Probably Won't Get Better Soon
Scholz, who backs a vaccine mandate along with Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, justified the move by saying that such “matters of conscience” should be decided in parliament and not by the government.
The Bundestag's health committee is due to discuss the proposed legislation at a closed session later on Wednesday. Lawmakers will be free to vote however they choose on Thursday, and some from the three ruling parties have indicated that they do not support enforced inoculation.
Lars Klingbeil, co-leader of Scholz's SPD party, appealed to lawmakers from the opposition conservatives not to be “stubborn” and to back the latest proposal.
“This compulsory vaccination from the age of 60 will help us to get through the fall with freedom,” Klingbeil said in an interview with RTL television late Tuesday.
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