The German military is poised to make coronavirus vaccines mandatory for troops as COVID-19 infections continue to rise across the country.
The Associated Pressshots compulsory for troops amid a growing debate in the country about whether to introduce a general vaccine mandate to counter rising infection and hospitalization rates.
The nationwide tally of newly confirmed cases rose by 45,326 in the past 24 hours, the country's disease control agency said Tuesday. A further 309 deaths from COVID-19 were also reported, taking the total toll since the start of the outbreak to 99,433. An association representing doctors in Berlin said Tuesday that coronavirus vaccines should be made compulsory for all — a step already taken in neighboring Austria.
In a rare interview, Merkel's husband, Joachim Sauer, expressed surprise and upset that so many people remained opposed to the vaccine in Germany, blaming it on German “laziness” and anti-vaccine ideology that crosses all levels of education.