Germany debates privileges for those who’ve been vaccinated

<p>BERLIN &mdash; Chancellor Angela Merkel and the governors of Germany’s 16 states on Monday discussed whether people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should be exempt from certain restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the virus.</p>
<p>The issue of special privileges for vaccinated people has been hotly debated in Germany, as in other countries.</p>
<p>Some have argued it’s unfair on those who haven’t been able to get the shot yet. Others say restrictions on civil liberties are justified while people pose a risk to others. </p>
<p>Scientists say that while vaccines significantly reduce the risk of serious illness, it isn’t clear yet whether people who’ve been immunized can still spread the virus.</p>
<p>The head of Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats said he wants swift clarity on the issue of privileges for vaccinated people and those who’ve recovered from a COVID-19 infection.</p>
<p>“This needs to be settled today in a binding way,” Armin Laschet said. The governor of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, was recently put forward by Merkel’s Union bloc as its candidate to succeed her as chancellor in a federal election Sept. 26.</p>
<p>After a sluggish start, Germany — like other European Union countries — has seen vaccination rates rise sharply in recent weeks.</p>
<p>Official figures show that some 23.4% of the population had received at least one dose of vaccine by Sunday. About 7.2% of Germany’s 83 million inhabitants have so far received both shots.</p>
<p>Other issues being discussed at the meeting include whether and when to end the practice of prioritizing vaccinations for particularly vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions.</p>
<hr />
<p>Follow all of AP’s pandemic coverage at: </p>
<p>
<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic</a>
</p>
<p>
<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine">https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine</a>
</p>
<p>
<a href="https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak">https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak</a>
</p>