German parliament to debate job-specific vaccine mandate

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s parliament is set to debate a proposed vaccine mandate for hospital and nursing home staff, among other measures meant to help break the country’s biggest wave so far of coronavirus infections. At a special session Tuesday, parliament’s lower house also will discuss plans for vaccinations to be performed in future not just by doctors at vaccination centers and practices, but also by dentists or pharmacists. The aim is to pass the new regulations later this week. They foresee that staff at hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ practices and rescue services will be required to provide proof of vaccination or recovery, or certification that they can’t be vaccinated, starting in mid-March. They are separate from proposals for an overall vaccine mandate.