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.
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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 It has been replaced by a strong recommendation to get the vaccine.
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.
In April 2022, lawmakers rejected a narrower bill that would have required all people 60 and over to be vaccinated.
