Germany to end quarantine pay for unvaccinated

Germany will stop paying compensation to unvaccinated workers who are forced into quarantine.

That's according to Health Minister Jens Spahn Wednesday (September 22).

He said it was unfair to ask taxpayers to pay for people who refuse to get inoculated.

The rules will take effect by October 11 at the latest.

It will affect people who test positive for the virus and those returning from trips to 'high risk' countries, which currently includes Britain, Turkey and parts of France.

Critics have said such rules are basically a mandate for COVID vaccinations, as many workers cannot afford to stay at home without pay.

There are also privacy concerns.

Germany has strict laws on data privacy and employers usually have no right to ask staff for information on health issues.

Vaccinations are not compulsory in Germany, but new measures have made it more inconvenient to be unvaccinated.

Some German states have allowed businesses like restaurants to choose whether to admit people who test negative, or only those who have been vaccinated or recently recovered.

Germany has fully inoculated 74% of adults, slightly ahead of the EU average.