The chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO), Thomas Mertens, has criticized the debate about the vaccination status of FC Bayern professional Joshua Kimmich as “limitless nonsense”.
"It is Kimmich's personal decision and it should stay that way," Mertens told the Bild newspaper.
"We would never talk about it if he weren't so exposed as a football professional."
The STIKO boss called for vaccination skeptics and people with concerns to be convinced instead of putting them under pressure.
“Persuasion is often tedious, but I believe that this way you can win over many more people to the vaccinations.
I've always been critical of formal pressure on unvaccinated people, ”said Mertens.
Kimmich had confirmed on Sky on Saturday that he had not yet been vaccinated.
He had "personal concerns", "especially when it comes to the lack of long-term studies," said the 26-year-old.
But he is “aware of his responsibility”, adheres to hygiene measures and is tested every two to three days.
Kimmich emphasized that he was "not a corona denier or opponent of vaccinations" and that it was "very possible that I will soon be vaccinated".
According to the labor lawyer Gregor Thüsing, Kimmich's vaccination status will not prevent him from continuing to compete in professional football. Although he has to be tested before the games, there is no legal obligation for a vaccination, said the professor of labor law at the University of Bonn of the German press agency. It is different with viewers, for example. According to the current legal situation, you can be refused entry to the stadium if you have neither recovered nor vaccinated.
“Being a role model is not a legal obligation, but rather a moral obligation,” said Thüsing.
According to labor and sports lawyer Martin Schimke, the clubs lack the legal basis to oblige their professionals to vaccinate.
That could only change in the case of a statutory vaccination requirement or at least an obligation for the relevant professional group.
Call for booster vaccinations
In view of rising corona incidences, politicians and experts are in favor of more third-party vaccinations against Covid-19 for the elderly and risk groups. The so-called booster vaccinations can usually be given six months after the second spike so that further antibodies are formed. "Booster vaccinations for the vulnerable groups are urgently needed, especially in view of the increasing numbers," said Dirk Heinrich, Federal Chairman of the Virchow Association of Resident Doctors, of the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. "Unfortunately, this is not uniformly regulated nationwide, so that there are delays in some places."
The SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach told the newspapers of the Funke media group: "In view of the increasing number of cases, including among older people, a new vaccination campaign to use booster vaccinations in this age group is now absolutely necessary." the newspapers of the Funke media group more speed with the refreshments. "Third vaccinations must now be initiated as quickly as possible, the current corona numbers are terrifying." Hennig-Wellsow emphasized, "The third vaccination must be advertised as well as the first and second".
The President of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (Divi), Gernot Marx, told the newspapers of the Funke media group that he “believes that booster vaccination is a very important part of combating the pandemic”.
This applies to both patients and hospital staff.
Eugen Brysch, board member of the German Foundation for Patient Protection, complained about the "sluggish course" of the third-party vaccinations.
"The statutory health insurance associations are responsible for ensuring that after a good three months, just twelve percent of those over 70 years of age have received a third vaccination offer," said Brysch of the NOZ.
"Now it is taking its toll that the vaccination centers and mobile teams have largely been abolished, precisely because of the pressure from the health insurance physician officials."