The head of the EU’s executive branch said on Wednesday that EU countries should consider making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory as many people still voluntarily refuse to get the shot.
The EU-wide vaccination rate is 66%, and the unexpectedly high cases surge in the 27-nation bloc has prompted many member states to renew mask and testing requirements and take other steps to prevent infection.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “It is now understandable and appropriate to lead this discussion – how we can encourage and potentially think about compulsory vaccination within the EU.”
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Since health policy remains a national prerogative in the EU, and making jabs mandatory remains a highly contentious issue, von der Leyen’s remarks stood out.
“A third of the European population is not vaccinated. 150 million people are. That’s a lot,” she told reporters.
“Life-saving vaccines are not being used adequately everywhere,” she continued. “It’s a huge health cost.”
German chancellor-nominee Olaf Scholz said he would support a proposal to make coronavirus vaccines mandatory for everyone next year.
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European Union countries have so far taken different approaches to the issue. Austria has pledged to make vaccines mandatory for all residents starting in February. From mid-January 1, Greece plans to impose fines on people over the age of 60 and up to 100 euros ($113) per month if they do not get vaccinated.
“The data is irrefutable: 9 out of 10 Greeks who lose their lives (to COVID-19) are over 60 years of age and more than 8 out of 10 people (who die) are illiterate,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Parliament.
Slovakia, on the other hand, is considering paying 500 euros ($567) to vaccinate people in that age group.
The EU’s 27 health ministers are due to assess the emergence of the Omicron version of the coronavirus on Tuesday. Whatever recommendations they come up with, they will be presented to the leaders of the member states during the regularly scheduled December 16 summit.
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An emergency summit on the Omicron variant first detected in southern Africa was discussed for several days, but it was difficult to find a time slot for all the leaders. Much is unknown about the new variant, including whether it is more contagious, as some health officials have suspected, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can cause vaccines to fail. could.
As of Wednesday, there were 59 confirmed cases linked to Omicron in 11 EU countries, an increase of 15 from Tuesday. According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the Netherlands has so far reported the highest number of cases at 16, and most have a travel history to Africa.
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