German ethics body opposes special freedoms for those vaccinated

A German minister has said those vaccinated should be let into cinemas and restaurants earlier than others while Chancellor Angela Merkel raised the prospect of restrictions for those who refused doses once there is enough supply for all. "At the present time, withdrawing state restrictions on freedoms for vaccinated people should not take place as it is not yet possible to reliably assess infectiousness," Ethics Council head Alena Buyx told a news conference.

Germany's ethics council weighed into a global debate on Thursday over whether COVID-19 curbs can be eased for people who are vaccinated, saying that should be out of the question while it remains unclear if they can still infect others. A German minister has said those vaccinated should be let into cinemas and restaurants earlier than others while Chancellor Angela Merkel raised the prospect of restrictions for those who refused doses once there is enough supply for all.

"At the present time, withdrawing state restrictions on freedoms for vaccinated people should not take place as it is not yet possible to reliably assess infectiousness," Ethics Council head Alena Buyx told a news conference. Others would perceive such a move as unjust, added Sigrid Graumann, spokeswoman for the Ethics Council's pandemic working group. "We will have to live with contact restrictions for quite some time," she said.

Some companies, including travel Group Saga and events company CTS Eventim, have already said they will only offer services to those who have been immunised. While private firms have the right to do that in principle, forcing employees to be vaccinated would be illegal, said Ethics Council vice-chairman Volker Lipp.

With similar debates around the world as vaccination campaigns gather pace, tourism-dependent Greece wants a European Union-wide certification system and said it could open up to Israelis if a large proportion have been vaccinated.