is only required to work under the obligatory 3G CovidCheck regime introduced on 15 January. Meanwhile, vaccination has been mandatory for soldiers since 25 October of last year as they, according to a 1979 legislation on discipline in public forces, must accept medical measures, “to prevent contagious or infectious diseases.”

In a , ADR deputies Fernand Kartheiser and Jeff Engelen underlined the fact that there is currently no existing vaccine mandate that would support this. They also asked whether this mandate would be extended to other national security sectors such as the police or the fire brigade. While the ADR party had spoken in favour of the vaccination, it considered it a choice rather than an obligation.

To this the minister replied that a vaccine mandate was currently still discussed. Prime minister Xavier Betel (DP) on the same day on obligatory inoculation against covid-19 for citizens over 50 years old. This mandate would also extend to healthcare staff, though no other sectors were mentioned.

While civil staff of the army is not obliged to get the vaccine, deployable troops must follow, “hygiene, protection and prevention measures”, says Lehnert, as they could be needed nationally and internationally at any given time. Other vaccines, like the covid-19 vaccines, that are only recommended to the general population, have been implemented as a preventative measure for soldiers in the past. This is the case, for instance, of tick-borne encephalitis and rabies.

In the case of side effects--a point raised by the deputies--the army would take responsibility if certain conditions were met. Namely, if a soldier had, following an inoculation prescribed by the state, died, or suffered from permanent physical harm, and if the damage wasn’t covered by social security.

The Spal, Luxembourg’s army union, had at the start of the year François Bausch’s (déi gréng) decision to make inoculation against covid-19 mandatory for any active soldiers and applicants, while the army struggles to recruit members.