FACTBOX-Countries making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory

FACTBOX-Countries making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory
Representative image Image Credit: ANI

Governments have been making COVID-19 shots mandatory for health workers and other high-risk groups, pushed by a sharp upturn in infections caused by the Delta variant and a slowdown in vaccinations, as well as the new Omicron variant.

A growing number of countries are also making shots compulsory for public servants and other workers. Here are some countries' vaccine mandates, listed according to categories of people affected:

ADULTS AND/OR CHILDREN ** AUSTRIA: all over 14s from February 2022; holdouts can be fined up to 3,600 euros every 3 months

** COSTA RICA: only children over 5 years old ADULTS

** ECUADOR: obligatory except for people who have a relevant medical condition or incompatibility ** GERMANY: plans to make mandatory for all adults from February

** INDONESIA: all adults, with fines or refusal of social assistance or government services for the unvaccinated ** ITALY: over 50s until June 15

** MICRONESIA: all adults ** TAJIKISTAN: all over 18s

** TURKMENISTAN: all over 18s ELDERLY

** CZECH REPUBLIC: over 60s from March ** GREECE: over 60s from Jan. 16; recurring 100 euros monthly fine for those who fail to comply

** MALAYSIA: over 60s and all adult recipients of the Sinovac vaccine required to get a booster dose by Feb. ** RUSSIA: over 60s and chronically ill in St. Petersburg

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERS ** CANADA: all federally regulated workplaces from early 2022

** COSTA RICA: all state workers ** CROATIA: all public sector employees, citizens who need services in public institutions

** CZECH REPUBLIC: police officers, soldiers and some other professions from March ** DENMARK: workplaces allowed to require a digital "corona pass" for employees

** EGYPT: vaccination or weekly COVID-19 test required from public sector employees to work in government buildings ** FIJI: public servants, employees at private firms

** FRANCE: public officials or employees, including civil security pilots, flight personnel providing care for victims, soldiers permanently assigned to civil security missions, firefighters ** GHANA: targeted groups including all public sector and health workers from Jan. 22

** HUNGARY: employees at state institutions ** ITALY: all workers, school staff, police, military

** LATVIA: required for lawmakers to be able to vote and to receive full pay; businesses allowed to fire unvaccinated workers ** LEBANON: all civil servants and workers in the education, tourism and public transport sectors from Jan. 10

** NEW ZEALAND: workers of border, prison, police and defence force sectors, as well as education sector ** OMAN: public or private sector employees for entry to workplace

** PANAMA: vaccination or weekly testing for all public officials ** POLAND: teachers, security personnel and uniformed services from March 1, 2022

** RUSSIA: workers with public-facing roles in Moscow; ** SAUDI ARABIA: public and private sector workers wishing to attend a workplace; people entering government, private, or educational establishments

** TUNISIA: officials, employees and visitors accessing public and private administrations ** TURKEY: some sectors including teachers and domestic travel employees

** UKRAINE: public sector employees including teachers, municipal employees https://bit.ly/3pXYGko ** UNITED STATES: all federal workers, contractors (temporarily blocked from enforcing nationwide), private sector workers in companies with 100 or more employees (reinstated on Dec. 18), public-sector workers (contested in New York court)

HEALTH WORKERS ** AUSTRALIA: high-risk aged-care workers, employees in quarantine hotels

** BRITAIN: care home staff in England, health workers in England by April 1 ** CROATIA: health and social care workers

** CZECH REPUBLIC: hospitals and nursing homes employees from March 2022 ** FINLAND: plans to make vaccines mandatory for health and social care workers

** FRANCE: healthcare and care home workers, home aids and urgent care technicians ** GERMANY: workers of hospitals, doctor's offices and nursing homes by mid-March

** GREECE: nursing home staff, healthcare workers ** HUNGARY: healthcare workers

** ITALY: health workers ** LEBANON: health sectors from Jan. 10, 2022

** NEW ZEALAND: health and disability sector workers ** POLAND: healthcare workers from March 1, 2022

** UKRAINE: state and municipal healthcare workers https://bit.ly/3pXYGko OTHER WORKERS

** Western Australia: employees of mining, oil and gas exploration sectors ** CHINA: booster shot required in Beijing for key workers on construction sites, including cooks, security guards and cleaning personnel

** PHILIPPINES: in-office workers and employees in public transportation services ** KAZAKHSTAN: mandatory vaccinations or weekly testing for people working in groups of more than 20

ENTRY TO PUBLIC VENUES ** AUSTRIA: public places including restaurants, hotels, theatres and ski lifts

** BOLIVIA: vaccination pass or negative test required for entry into public and private venues, including airports, bus stations, banks, shopping centres, restaurants and supermarkets (https://bit.ly/3zF5A1m) ** BRITAIN: vaccination or negative test for all over-18s at night clubs and other venues in Scotland; at nightclubs, some indoor and outdoor unseated venues and all venues with more than 10,000 people in England

** BULGARIA: "health pass" for visitors of public venues such as cafes, hotels, concert halls, museums and swimming pools ** CZECH REPUBLIC: vaccination certificates or testing status required at restaurants and clubs

** DENMARK: health pass required for entry to indoor bars, restaurants and other public places ** EGYPT: vaccination mandatory for public university students to access campuses

** FRANCE: vaccination pass mandatory for all over-16s to enter cinemas, bars and restaurants, and use long-distance public transport, from Jan. 15 ** GERMANY: vaccination required for all but the most essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies and bakeries

** HONG KONG: vaccination required for entry to restaurants, gyms, cinemas, and libraries from Feb. 24 ** ITALY: vaccination required for indoor seating at bars, restaurants, visiting museums, cinemas, clubs, attending sporting events; basic green health pass obligatory for all public transport

** KENYA: vaccination requirement for access to banks, restaurants, and public spaces; https://bit.ly/3EVBEyN; https://bit.ly/3n1X3QT ** LEBANON: vaccine certificate or antibody tests required for entry to restaurants, cafes, pubs and beaches

** LITHUANIA: vaccination certificate required for access to indoor and outdoor gatherings attended by more than 500 people, economic activities, contact services including beauty services and gyms for all over-12s (https://koronastop.lrv.lt/en/covid-19-related-restrictions-1) ** MOROCCO: vaccine required for access to all government buildings, spaces such as cafes, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, transportation

** NETHERLANDS: health pass mandatory to enter bars, restaurants, clubs or cultural events ** ROMANIA: health pass, negative COVID-19 test or proof of recovery mandatory for entry to most public venues including majority of non-essential ones

** SERBIA: health pass mandatory to visit indoor cafes, hotels and restaurants after 10 p.m. ** SINGAPORE: vaccination necessary to enter shopping malls; considers requiring a booster shot to qualify as fully vaccinated

** SWITZERLAND: proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test required to access bars, restaurants and fitness centres ** SOUTH KOREA: vaccine pass mandatory to access 14 designated public spaces, including hospitality and entertainment venues; requirement extended to over 12s from February

** SWEDEN: vaccine passes required for indoor events with more than 100 people; to be extended to smaller gatherings, such as in restaurants. ** UKRAINE: restrictions for unvaccinated on access to restaurants, sports and other public events

(Compiled by Oben Mumcuoglu, Dagmarah Mackos and Elena Vardon; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

Give Feedback

Use this form for editorial or site feedback. We usually reply within 2 to 3 working days.

By submitting, you agree that we may use your email address to respond.