Germany’s Constitutional Court on Friday approved a law that imposes compulsory coronavirus vaccination on health care workers, throwing out a last-minute challenge to the legislation.

The debate over the law, which gives workers until March 15 to be vaccinated or risk having to stop work, has become heated in recent days as some states say they will not fully implement it.

Amid a wider controversy over government plans for a national vaccine mandate, the court ruled on an urgent judgment that the vaccine law, intended to protect those most at risk from COVID-19, could be put into force as planned.

The court will continue to examine the law in a longer, more comprehensive process.

The vaccine law applies to employees in nursing homes and hospitals, also doctors and outpatient services, midwives, physiotherapists, and masseurs.

They all have until March 15 to prove that they are fully vaccinated or have recently recovered, but new employees will need the proof from March 16 onwards.

“If the employee does not provide the proof of vaccination, the health authorities must be informed.

“The employee is to be prohibited from entering their workplace,” the court stated.

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Meanwhile, lawmakers have been working on proposals for a national vaccine mandate that applies across the board.

On Friday, lawmakers from the three parties of the center-left government put forward a draft of a law that envisages compulsory vaccination for all citizens over 18, to be put in force from Oct. 1.