Unvaccinated employees have to be prepared for financial cuts. Anyone who has had contact with corona infected people will soon no longer receive any money in the two-week quarantine in several federal states. That is appropriate and consistent. Because apart from pregnant women and a few exceptional cases, for which special rules are required, every adult in this country had the chance to be vaccinated. Those who let the opportunity pass endanger others and are not entitled to the support of the rest of society. The planned cut is also logical because the state will no longer pay for corona tests from October 11th.
Together, both measures increase the cost of not vaccinating, which is the easiest way to drive up a lack of vaccination. It would be consistent to give employers the right to information, even in sectors that are not particularly sensitive, as to who in the workforce has been vaccinated and who is not. If this is not the case, the unvaccinated make it difficult to return to normal at work without having to fear any consequences.
Overall, a point has been reached in the pandemic at which the motto “rescue at any price” can no longer be justified. The economy is growing and approaching the pre-crisis level, there are hardly any restrictions. For example, while the government in France is closing its solidarity fund for companies at the end of September and replacing it with less, more targeted aid, this is not planned in this country. Rather, the Prime Ministers decided in August together with the representatives of the Federal Government to extend the bridging aid until the end of the year.
SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz now even wants to keep the VAT rates in the catering sector, which were lowered during the crisis, over the long term. It was not arranged that way. Those who act in this way need not be surprised if in the next crisis there is less willingness to draw on the full in times of need.