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OTTAWA. – Canada yesterday said it will soon require all federal public servants be vaccinated against COVID-19 and will also extend its vaccine requirement to travellers on commercial flights, interprovincial passenger trains and cruise ships.
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc said the vaccine requirement for public servants will be in place by early this fall and that he expects corporations owned by the federal government and other federally-regulated employers to follow suit.
“We expect the federal public service to want to comply with this mandatory requirement,” LeBlanc said in a news conference. “This is the best way to end the pandemic and allow the economy to safely remain open.”
He added that testing and screening measures will be put in place for those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said that employees in the federally-regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors will also be required to be vaccinated, along with certain travelers.
“This includes all commercial air travelers, passengers on interprovincial trains, and passengers on large marine vessels with overnight accommodations, such as cruise ships,” Alghabra said in the same news conference.
A number of countries have made vaccines mandatory for healthcare workers. Some require proof of vaccination to access certain public spaces like bars and gyms.
Here are some countries’ vaccine mandates:
AUSTRALIA
Australia decided in late June to make vaccinations mandatory for high-risk aged-care workers and employees in quarantine hotels.
It has also made vaccinations obligatory for Paralympic athletes heading to Tokyo because unvaccinated members on the team could pose a health risk.
BRITAIN
It will be mandatory for care home workers in England to have vaccinations from October. English nightclubs and other venues with large crowds will require patrons to present proof of full vaccination from the end of September.
FRANCE
The French parliament on Aug. 2 approved a bill which will make vaccinations mandatory for health workers as well as require a bolstered health pass in many social venues.
The government cut the planned €45 000 fine for businesses that do not check that clients have a health pass will be much lower, starting at up to €1 500 and increasing progressively for repeat offenders. – Reuters.
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