Germany’s health minister has issued his starkest warning yet on the importance of getting vaccinated. On Monday, Jens Spahn told a news conference, “By the end of this winter, everyone in Germany will either be vaccinated, recovered or dead.” Germany is in the grip of a fourth wave of coronavirus. Cases are rising rapidly and many hospitals are full. It has the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe, with 68% of people fully vaccinated.
Germany’s infection rate is at its highest since the pandemic began and health experts have warned this wave could be the worst yet. In the past 24 hours, there have been 30,643 new infections – 7000 more than a week ago. This is among the highest rates in the world. Tighter restrictions are to be brought in which will see the unvaccinated excluded from certain venues and some of Germany’s famed Christmas markets have been cancelled.
Mr Spahn stated that he was against making COVID vaccines compulsory but that it was a “moral obligation” to get the jab because it impacts on other people. He added, “Freedom means taking responsibility and there is a duty to society to get vaccinated.” The minister stated that the highly contagious Delta variant is driving the latest wave and that “anyone who is not vaccinated will, over the next few months, become infected and lack protection.”
