Vaccination in care: Söder belongs in political quarantine

Will tax liability soon no longer apply in Bavaria?

What constitutional obligations does the Free State want – do the CDU/CSU want to get rid of?

– after the announcement to suspend the institution-related vaccination obligation, soon to say goodbye for reasons of opportunity?

Nothing against a political debate, which is particularly needed in the crisis.

It is also mandatory insofar as encroachments on fundamental rights always require justification.

All measures to contain the pandemic must be checked continuously: whether they are still serving their purpose, whether they are still suitable, necessary and appropriate.

allow measures to take effect

But you can't change horses every day, you have to let the measures take effect - and then, after political struggles and scientific advice, implement those that have been recognized and decided as reasonable.

The purposes should also not be changed arbitrarily.

One misconception cannot be eradicated: Vaccination is also about protecting the general public.

It has long been shown that - contrary to what was originally hoped - vaccinated people can become ill and spread the virus.

But as a rule, they do not become seriously ill.

The vaccinated burden the health system comparatively little.

This is not an abstract quantity.

Here, too, it is about protecting as many people as possible, including those who are not suffering from Corona.

The occupancy of the intensive care units and the hospitalization rate, which have rightly replaced the mere incidence of infection as a parameter, do not reflect the fate of the patients whose treatment was (as a precaution) postponed.

Some could no longer be reached because they had died in the meantime.

These are basically corona deaths.

And those who died not with, but because of Corona.

Life is not the only good, not even the highest good.

But the state has to protect it.

The Federal Minister of Health should not give the impression that there are suddenly new standards in the fight against pandemics.

It's not about numbers, it's about people.

It is also certain that the risk of the elderly and sick continues to be significantly higher.

For this reason, facility-related compulsory vaccination has been decided with a large majority in the federal and state governments.

In any case, anyone who has been vaccinated does not threaten to be absent for a long time.

The Federal Constitutional Court determined in the summary proceedings on compulsory measles vaccination that individual vaccination also protects those who cannot be vaccinated.

The pandemic is neither over nor comparable to a flu epidemic.

Undoubtedly, all of this is hotly debated on the street as well as in the care sector.

And of course the Free State of Bavaria is just as free as the opposition in the federal government to take up concerns and work towards the epidemic situation being prolonged and the facility-related vaccination requirement that has already been decided on be postponed, changed or abolished.

But what is valid is valid.

Also in Bavaria, also for the opposition.

Imagine the screeching if SPD-led federal states suspended asylum or criminal laws because they thought they would be difficult to enforce.

In tax and traffic law, random checks are also carried out.

Great effort and a thin staffing level are also known here.

In contrast, the area-related vaccination requirement is downright manageable and quite enforceable.

The regulation is clear, but leaves room for manoeuvre.

The end of the rule of law

Political leeway is not one of them.

That would be the end of the rule of law as well as the federal state.

The federal government must not now make the mistake of tolerating disobedience or playing it down.

It's not about asking and convincing Söder.

The Prime Minister did not take his Bavarians by the hand when he imposed strict restrictions on them.

Everyone is subject to the law.

A fortiori, no politician may call for breaking the law.

The fact that the means of the Basic Law on federal coercion have not yet been applied does not mean that they do not apply.

Now a Federal Commissioner is not immediately sent to Bavaria.

But everyone in the federal and state governments who cares about the federal rule of law should take a clear position.

Söder questions his existence and thus himself.

He should not be unfamiliar with the consequences: anyone who persistently fails to follow general rules will be put under surveillance.

Söder belongs in political quarantine.

He can test himself.