Senator Gote: No shortages due to vaccination mandate

The employee of a vaccination center holds a syringe with a vaccine against Covid-19.

Berlin's Senator for Health Ulrike Gote (Green Party) does not expect the mandatory vaccination in the health and care sector to lead to staff shortages.

"In Berlin, a large number of people working in the health sector are already vaccinated - more than the citywide average," Gote told RBB Inforadio on Tuesday (March 15, 2022). Nevertheless, if staff shortages are looming in a facility, there will be a transition period. Together with the facilities and the affected employees, the health authorities would look for ways to maintain operations. Gote was convinced that this could be done "with a sense of proportion", stating: "There's really no need for any Berliners to worry about any system failures."

Consequences planned for violations of vaccination mandate

According to Senator Gote, in case of a violation consequences such as fines or work bans can only be expected after a few weeks. She spoke of three weeks to a maximum of three months. If someone working in the healthcare sector does not want to be vaccinated, this has consequences. "These consequences could initially come in the form of a ban on entering the premises up to the employee being banned from working altogether," Gote explained.

Obligation to provide proof for employees in the healthcare sector

In the future, employees in the healthcare and nursing sector will be subject to a nationawide so-called facility-based Coronavirus vaccination mandate. Those affected must prove to their employer by Tuesday (March 15, 2022) that they have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, have recovered or cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.