Before the Bundestag vote: Stiko boss Mertens welcomes the end of compulsory vaccination from June 18

The Ulm virologist and head of the Standing Vaccination Commission, Thomas Mertens, welcomed the temporary end to general vaccination.

“Protection against the further spread of the virus would be the most important argument for general vaccination from the age of 18.

However, since this cannot currently be achieved with a vaccination, in my opinion the main argument for this compulsory vaccination is missing.

That's why I think it's logical to give it up," Mertens told the Schwäbische Zeitung (Tuesday).

Mertens endorsed the plans for compulsory vaccination for the elderly.

"In my view, it makes more sense to limit the obligation to vaccinate to vulnerable groups."

With a compromise proposal, advocates of general corona vaccination are trying to avert the failure of the project a few days before the Bundestag vote.

On Monday, the group of deputies that had previously advocated compulsory vaccination from the age of 18, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), presented a weakened proposal.

She only advocates compulsory vaccination from the age of 50, which, depending on the pandemic situation, could also be extended to younger citizens by a later Bundestag resolution.