The Finnish Parliament's Constitutional Law Committee on Thursday approved a requirement that social and health care personnel be vaccinated against coronavirus.

The cross-party committee declared unanimously that the bill is constitutional, making its ratification likely. Several previous proposed coronavirus measures have been blocked by the committee.

The centre-left government has proposed adding a temporary clause to the Communicable Diseases Act that would require social and health workers to be vaccinated. It could come into force soon after approval by the full legislature.

Speaker of Parliament Anu Vehviläinen (Cen) tweeted on Wednesday that Parliament is preparing to vote on the vaccination bill between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

The law would require employers to ensure that staff working with patients and clients at risk do not pose a risk of infecting them.

Fundamental human rights at issue

According to the committee, protecting the health of the population and maintaining healthcare capacity during the pandemic are compelling reasons to justify exceptionally far-reaching government action that affects fundamental human rights.

The powerful committee, which includes members from nearly all the parties in the legislature, is chaired by MP Johanna Ojala-Niemelä from the prime minister's Social Democratic Party.

The committee noted that there are clearly acceptable grounds for requiring jabs and that the regulation is proportionate. According to the committee, this is not a compulsory vaccination, but notes that requiring shots has an indirect effect on the fundamental rights of people working in the social and health sectors.

In its declaration, the panel stressed that the aim is to protect patients who are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, for whom the disease can be fatal.

Worries about supply of caregivers

According to the cabinet's proposal, an employer would not be obliged to pay wages to an unvaccinated employee who do not accept another offered position, or for whom alternative work cannot be found.

A negative Covid test result less 72 hours old before beginning each shift would be an option for a worker with a valid medical reason for not taking the vaccine.

The constitutional committee emphasised that access to social and health services must be closely monitored, as there is a labour shortage in the sector and the government predicts that requiring vaccinations could exacerbate the situation.

The committee called on the Social Affairs and Health Committee to also evaluate the justifications for the proposal.

In early December, Minister of Family and Basic Services Krista Kiuru (SDP) said that the Chancellor of Justice had said that vaccination could be required to protect the lives and health of clients and patients.