The rise of the delta variant of COVID-19 has caused some countries to mandate vaccinations in healthcare workers, high risk groups, and customers frequenting indoor businesses. Many have also implemented a vaccine passport system, requiring individuals to show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID test in order to enter bars, restaurants, clubs, and movie theaters.
The countries with COVID-19 vaccine mandates in place:
Australia
Australia introduced a vaccine mandate in late June for all health care workers and employees working with high-risk older individuals. It also required vaccines for Paralympic athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics in order to protect any at-risk members of the team.
Tasmania will make vaccination mandatory for health care workers and employees working with older age groups on September 17.
Britain
Care workers who work in care homes will be required to be vaccinated by from November 11 onwards. Nightclubs, bars, and other venues that host large audiences will mandate attendees to provide proof of full vaccination after the end of September.
Canada
On August 13th, Canada mandated vaccination for 300,000 federal employees. Any passenger on a plane, train, or cruise ship in Canada must also provide proof of full vaccination in order to board. Canada’s vaccination policies is considered one of the strictest amongst major countries, but is also highly popular with the Canadian public, with recent polls indicating that Canadian’s would support a vaccine mandate for all public-facing workers.
France
France has mandates vaccines for all healthcare workers since July. The same law also created the “health pass” system, a vaccine passport that gives the fully vaccinated access to clubs, bars, restaurants, and other venues. The law has inspired debate and protests within the country but remains in place, and has shown signs of being effective.
France also fines business that do not check customer’s health passes 45,000 euros ($53,456)
Greece
Greece’s law mandating vaccines for all medical professionals was announced earlier in the summer, but just recently came into place on September 1. The mandate sparked protests from aggrieved, unvaccinated health care workers who were suspended from their jobs without pay for refusing to get the shot. The Greek government has allowed these workers to return to their jobs if they comply with the mandate by getting fully vaccinated.
Greece only allows fully vaccinated patrons to enter movie theaters, bars, clubs, restaurants and other indoor venues.
Italy
The Italian government passed a decree all the way back in March mandating healthcare workers and pharmacists get the vaccine. Similar to Greece, penalty for not getting the shot is suspension without pay for an entire year.
The Italian government recently announced that they are considering making vaccines mandatory for all eligible citizens.
Russia
On June 16, all public-facing workers in Moscow were required to be fully vaccinated. Employers were given a month long period to ensure that a minimum of 60% of their staff had gotten their first shot. A vaccine passport law was temporarily in place in the city, but as of July 19 residents are no longer required to show proof of vaccination to enter cafes, restaurants, clubs, and bars.
United States
President Joe Biden introduced a vaccine mandate for federal employees at the end of July, requiring unvaccinated employees to face weekly testing, mask mandates, and travel restrictions if they refused the vaccine. The president also added financial incentives for new vaccinations, offering a hundred dollars to each person who went to get the shot.
New York City was the first major city in the U.S. to pass its vaccine passport mandate, which requires proof of full vaccination from customers and employees at clubs, bars, restaurants, movie theaters, gyms, and other venues. The mandate goes into effect on September 13, but many business have already begun operating under its rules.
New York, New Jersey, and California have all introduced vaccine mandates for healthcare workers, state employees, and transit employees, requiring fully vaccination or weekly COVID testing.
Over half of U.S. companies have plans to implement a vaccine mandate before 2022.
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