For seniors and carers
The Czech Republic overturns compulsory vaccination
01/19/2022, 06:15 p.m
In March, compulsory vaccination for senior citizens and certain professional groups should come into force in the Czech Republic. The last government decided this only recently. The new Prime Minister announces an about-face. As a reason, he cites rifts in society.
The Czech Republic is reversing its decision to make vaccinations compulsory for seniors and certain occupational groups. The new Prime Minister Petr Fiala assured after a cabinet meeting in Prague that there would be no vaccination under his government. The liberal-conservative politician explained that the rifts in society were not to be deepened.
The previous government under Andrei Babis had decided on the limited vaccination requirement in December as one of their last actions. The regulation was supposed to come into force in March. The compulsory vaccination should apply to people over 60 years of age, police officers, firefighters, soldiers and employees in health care and nursing homes, among others.
According to the EU health authority ECDC, 62.9 percent of the population in the Czech Republic have received basic immunization against Covid-19. Almost a third of the population also received a booster vaccination. That is less than in Germany and other Western European countries. The omicron wave is meanwhile causing a record number of new corona infections. As of Wednesday, the health authorities reported 28,469 new cases within 24 hours. According to earlier information, more than 80 percent of new infections are likely to be due to the more contagious omicron variant. Germany has been classifying the neighboring country as a corona high-risk area since mid-November.
At its meeting, the cabinet also launched a new edition of the Pandemic Act. The law, which would otherwise expire at the end of February, gives the health authorities far-reaching powers. For example, shops can be closed.