Mandatory vaccinations in nursing homes and medical facilities starting mid-March
Germany Implements Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers
Germany has introduced a vaccine mandate for healthcare and care facility workers, requiring them to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or recovery. The mandate, which took effect on March 15, 2022, applies to workers in hospitals, nursing homes, doctors' offices, and facilities for disabled persons.
The mandate was passed as an amendment to the Infection Protection Act on December 10, 2021. It was designed to better protect vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, from COVID-19 infection.
The mandate survived legal challenges and was implemented with some regional variations. Bavaria notably postponed enforcement indefinitely, but all other regions followed through with the mandate.
Attempts to expand the mandate to a general or age-specific public mandate for all adults or specific age groups failed politically. In April 2022, the Bundestag rejected a mandate for those 60 and over despite significant political support.
Under the mandate, non-compliance is treated as an administrative offense, punishable by fines. All current and new employees starting from January 1, 2022, must provide proof of full vaccination by March 15. New employees starting from March 16, 2022, must have proof of vaccination from the beginning. Without proof of vaccination, staff may no longer exercise their activity according to current plans.
This mandate reflects Germany’s focused approach on protecting vulnerable populations in care settings and ensuring health workforce safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As of mid-2025, there is no indication that the mandate has been rescinded or substantially changed.
It's worth noting that the German mandate focuses exclusively on COVID-19 vaccination in healthcare settings, rather than other vaccines like influenza. Germany’s overall COVID-19 response has included extensive testing and outbreak management efforts since early 2020. There is no indication of a currently active general vaccine mandate for the public beyond the healthcare sector vaccine requirement.
A tragic example of the importance of this mandate can be seen in the death of several seniors in a home in Brandenburg where only half of the staff were vaccinated. This mandate is a crucial step in ensuring the safety of vulnerable populations and maintaining the health of the healthcare workforce during the ongoing pandemic.
[1] Source: [Link to the source when available] [2] Source: [Link to the source when available] [3] Source: [Link to the source when available]
- Despite the lack of a general vaccine mandate, Germany's health-and-wellness sector strongly emphasizes COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers, as demonstrated by the vaccine mandate in place for this workforce.
- In contrast to a potential broader mandate for influenza vaccines, the German mandate solely focuses on COVID-19 vaccination in healthcare settings, further highlighting the significance of science and health in shattered these vulnerable populations.
