Before the meeting of health ministers in Lindau, Baden-Württemberg's health minister, Manne Lucha (Greens), spoke out in favor of compulsory vaccination for employees, for example in old people's and nursing homes.

"After we have long been relying on appeals and people's insight, now the time has come to demand compulsory vaccination for employees in sensitive areas such as health or education," Lucha said on Thursday.

There shouldn't be the same scenarios as last year, he said in an interview with the German press agency.

At that time, many old people died of a corona infection because the virus was carried into the facilities from outside.

There is already an obligation to test for employees.

“Nevertheless, infections are carried into the homes.

Testing doesn't solve our problem.

We have to go a step further now. "

The federal and state health ministers will meet in Lindau on Lake Constance from Thursday.

The department heads want to set out the Corona course for the winter in their deliberations.

Among other things, it will be discussed until Friday how more people can be induced to have booster vaccinations.

Compulsory testing in nursing homes is also an issue.

Criticism from the German Foundation for Patient Protection

This is exactly what the board of the German Patient Protection Foundation, Eugen Brysch, demands.

He clearly rejected Lucha's suggestion on Thursday: "This is driving polarization to extremes," accused Brysch.

"That won't do anything in practice." Vaccinated people could also carry the virus into the homes.

"Daily tests are at least as safe as a vaccination," said Brysch.

The Diakonie Württemberg does not yet believe in a mandatory vaccination for employees.

"We are sticking to the fact that we prefer a mandatory test in addition to education and information," said a spokeswoman.

Unvaccinated employees would have to be tested every working day, vaccinated and recovered employees at least once a week.

Lucha also does not receive any backing from the Association for Education and Upbringing (VBE). The association had always recommended teachers to be vaccinated, but refused an obligation to do so, said VBE state chairman Gerhard Brand on request. A vaccination requirement is also completely unnecessary in view of the extraordinarily high willingness of teachers to vaccinate. Brand referred to the current school barometer, according to which 95 percent of teachers had already been vaccinated in September. "Anyone who continues to demand mandatory vaccination for teachers carries owls to Athens and sets the wrong priorities," said Brand.

At the conference of health ministers at Lake Constance, Lucha wants to discuss further proposals with his colleagues in the department to increase the willingness to vaccinate and reduce the risk of infection.

Baden-Württemberg will work to ensure that the current reimbursement amount of 20 euros per vaccination is increased, said Lucha.

“It would be ideal if the doctor's surgeries would also offer vaccinations at the weekend, and that would have to be rewarded accordingly,” he added.

According to the minister, vaccination must also be exempt from bureaucratic requirements.

"It is necessary to check whether the many page-long declarations of consent are necessary."