German parliament rejects compulsory vaccination of the elderly

BERLIN (AP) — German lawmakers on Thursday rejected a bill requiring people over 60 to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, a compromise solution the government hoped would win a parliamentary majority.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his health minister had tried to get a mandate to vaccinate all adults, but some pro-government lawmakers and most opponents had rejected the idea.

The vote provoked the jubilation of anti-vaccine activists, who marched through the Berlin district where the government buildings are located with drums, bugles and banners with slogans or the word “no”.

The project was the product of months of discussions between the parties. It required those over 60 to get vaccinated, but required all adults to seek advice about the risks and benefits of being immunized against COVID-19.

Finally, 378 legislators voted against the project, 296 in favor and nine abstained.

Germany has handled the pandemic well with fewer deaths per capita than Italy, France, Britain or Sweden.

Social Democrat lawmaker Dagmar Schmidt, who introduced the bill, noted that the number of infections has fallen lately.

Confirmed cases have dropped in recent weeks from a peak of 300,000 per day to just over 200,000 in the last 24 hours. There were 328 COVID deaths reported Thursday, according to the disease watchdog.

But Schmidt said it was necessary to prepare for a new surge in cases and the possible appearance of a new variant in the coming months.

“We will face the same challenge next fall as we did last fall,” he said. “The virus will not just go away.”

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