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Germany

Germany lifts mandatory COVID vaccination requirement for military following committee recommendation

The vaccine became mandatory in November 2021, carrying the potential for disciplinary action if refused

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  • Germany has removed the mandate for its military service members to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a requirement in place since late 2021.
  • The mandate was removed following advice from the military's chief medical officer and a military medical advisory committee.
  • Members of the German military are required to receive vaccinations for diseases like measles, mumps and flu.

Germany has scrapped a requirement for its military servicepeople to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a mandate that had been in place since late 2021, the government said Wednesday.

People serving with the German military, the Bundeswehr, are required to get vaccinations against a number of diseases — including measles, mumps and flu — so long as individuals have no specific health issues to prevent that.

COVID-19 was added to the list in November 2021, meaning that anyone who refused to get vaccinated against it could face disciplinary measures.

LARGEST-EVER COVID VACCINE STUDY LINKS SHOT TO SMALL INCREASE IN HEART AND BRAIN CONDITIONS

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has now dropped the COVID-19 requirement following recommendations from the Bundeswehr's chief medical officer and a military medical advisory committee, ministry spokesperson Mitko Müller said. It has been replaced by a strong recommendation to get the vaccine.

German soldier

A soldier of the German military stands inside a vaccination center at the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany, before its opening on March 8, 2021. Germany has scrapped a requirement for its military personnel to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a mandate that had been in place since late 2021, the government said on Wednesday. (Tobias Schwarz / Pool via AP, File)

News of the decision came as Germany's Federal Administrative Court considered a complaint by a noncommissioned officer in the navy against the continued vaccination requirement.

Germany contemplated a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all adults in the country in late 2021 and early 2022, but some government lawmakers and most of the opposition balked at the idea.

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In April 2022, lawmakers rejected a narrower bill that would have required all people 60 and over to be vaccinated.