The German parliament has voted in favour of compulsory vaccination for healthcare workers and military personnel. The law is expected to be approved by the German upper house on Friday.

All healthcare workers must be fully vaccinated from mid-March.

The new German health minister Karl Lauterbach called it “absolutely unacceptable” on Friday morning that people in health care institutions “die unnecessarily because they have not been vaccinated”. According to the minister, the measure is being taken to break the fourth corona wave.

Germany is following France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Greece with the measure. There, healthcare staff must also be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Germany is also considering introducing compulsory vaccinations for all adult residents of the country. That will be voted on later. That obligation should come into effect in February 2022. Currently, 69 percent of the German population has been fully vaccinated, and 21 percent have received a booster.