The requirement relates to military personnel holding operational posts as well as full time and volunteer soldiers. Candidates to join Luxembourg’s armed forces, scheduled to do so on 1 January 2022, will only be accepted if they provide a certificate showing a complete vaccination schedule. Those who have recovered from covid-19 but have not been vaccinated will presumably not pass the medical examination stage. The candidates have already been informed of the new regulations in their admission letter.

Only the soldiers who are enlisted in the army from 1 January 2022 and soldiers who are already members of an operational availability unit will have to be vaccinated. Civilian personnel of the army will not be affected by these measures.

“In terms of international participation in missions and exercises, vaccination is usually a condition for going to some countries and regions,” pointed out Bausch in his answer to by Marc Goergen (Pirate Party).

The defence minister also highlighted the need for sanitary protection of the military personnel as a reason for these measures. He also added that neighboring countries have similar or even stricter measures regarding their military staff.

There are currently no plans to introduce the vaccination requirement in other ministries.