Weekly proceedings in the German federal parliament, Bundestag
In a significant move to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the German government passed an amendment to the Infection Protection Act (IfSG) on December 10, 2021. This amendment introduced a mandatory vaccination or recovery requirement for health care workers in various settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, doctors' offices, and care facilities for vulnerable populations.
The mandate, which took effect on March 15, 2022, has seen some delays and legal challenges but was ultimately upheld. However, a general vaccine mandate for the entire adult population remains unlikely before September 2022, as the German Ethics Council considered the possibility but encountered legal obstacles with no concrete timeline.
In April 2022, attempts to introduce a general vaccine mandate or a mandate for age groups 50+ or 60+ failed in Bundestag votes, representing a political setback for Chancellor Scholz and his government. Public opinion polls showed about 60% support for a vaccine mandate, though the parliamentary initiatives did not pass.
The health care worker mandate remains the core regulated measure under the IfSG. Local health authorities have some discretion in enforcement, leading to varied implementation. This measure has been the central legal tool for infection prevention in health care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of mid-2025, there is no indication of further amendments or a new bill that has significantly changed this framework beyond the 2021 amendment. Other recent public health updates focus on disease control for specific infections like diphtheria but not on new changes to the IfSG itself.
In addition to the health care worker mandate, the amendment also allows patients to be treated in preventive and rehabilitation facilities if the pandemic situation worsens. The Bill will regulate the nationwide mask requirement in public transport and introduce a hotspot regulation that allows for further protective measures to be taken locally.
The mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is also set to be extended until March 31, 2023, and will be regularly evaluated. The government has proposed to extend the mandate of operation "SEA GUARDIAN" until March 31, 2023, with regular evaluations as well.
The IfSG is set to expire on March 19, 2022, and the Federal Government's Media and Communications Report will inform about its media policy guidelines. Occupational health and safety ordinances will continue to be enabled. The Bill to Amend the Infection Protection Act will apply until autumn 2022.
The government has also introduced measures to secure gas supplies, including requiring gas storage operators to maintain minimum fill levels. If gaps remain in the required fill levels, the Market Area Coordinator can purchase and store gas and storage capacities. Revenue losses for transmission network operators will be covered by the Energy and Climate Fund (EKF) with around 6.6 billion euros.
Lastly, a one-off heating cost subsidy is being decided to cushion burdens for people with low incomes. The draft allows patients to be treated in preventive and rehabilitation facilities if the pandemic situation worsens. Consultations on the media report are now beginning.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness and medical-conditions, the amendment to the Infection Protection Act (IfSG) enforced mandatory vaccination or recovery for health care workers, with a focus on settings like hospitals and nursing homes.
- Despite the success of the health care worker mandate, initiatives for a general vaccine mandate for the entire adult population in politics have faced challenges, with no concrete timeline set as of mid-2022.
- Beyond the health care worker mandate, the amendment also introduced regulations for mask requirements in public transport and a hotspot regulation for taking protective measures in local areas of concern, demonstrating the involvement of policy-and-legislation and general-news in the COVID-19 response.
