France and Greece mandate vaccinations for health workers

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Tue, 2021-07-13 09:24 — mike kraft

Covid-19 global updates: France and Greece mandate vaccinations for health workers amid delta variant surge The two European countries also announced new restrictions that would require proof of vaccination to take part in certain activities. Erin Cunningham Washington Post

France and Greece have both announced plans to mandate coronavirus vaccinations for health-care workers as the more virulent delta variant gains ground across Europe, threatening even those nations with high or climbing inoculation rates.

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address Monday that France was “facing a strong resumption of the epidemic” and that a slowing vaccination campaign could lead to rising hospitalizations later this summer.

“The equation is simple. The more we vaccinate, the less space we leave this virus to circulate,” he said, prompting tens of thousands of French residents to book vaccine appointments Tuesday.

In Greece, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also said Monday that health-care workers must be immunized starting Sept. 1, and that nursing staff will be required to begin receiving vaccinations immediately.

On Tuesday, Greek authorities said that only fully vaccinated individuals would be allowed to use public indoor spaces until Aug. 31, when the policy would be reassessed.

“The country will not shut down again because of some,” Mitsotakis said in his televised address Monday. “It is not Greece that is in danger, but unvaccinated Greeks.”

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The moves to mandate coronavirus vaccinations for certain sectors of the population come as some nations are seeing immunization rates slow — even as the delta variant spreads — and are struggling to balance public health restrictions with individual liberties.

Italy announced in March that all health-care workers must be vaccinated or face a year-long suspension without pay, making it the first country in Europe to impose such a requirement. In England, the government said last month that all care home workers should be vaccinated from October. ...

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