The Canadian government has announced that there will be a vaccination requirement for government employees. From the end of October, the 300,000 federal officials must be able to demonstrate that they have been vaccinated against the corona virus.
According to Secretary of the Interior Dominic LeBlanc, the vaccination requirement is intended to help Canada achieve a minimum level of coverage needed to fully reopen the economy and keep it open.
The announcement of the vaccination requirement comes a month before the reopening of Canada’s borders for vaccinated foreign travelers. It is scheduled for September 7, a year and a half after their closure due to the pandemic.
‘Step too far’
The vaccination obligation will also apply to personnel who work on cruise ships, to aviation and train personnel and to travelers who use these means of transport.
LeBlanc said at a news conference that he expects most state-owned companies to adopt the vaccination obligation. The majority of the population supports the plan, according to research by a polling agency. It proves especially popular among Canadians who voted for the ruling Liberal parties. It is less widely supported due to the support of the conservative parties.
“A vaccination requirement is a step too far. Canadians must retain the right to make choices about their own health,” said Erin O’Toole, the conservative opponent of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “People expect reasonable measures to be taken, such as rapid tests for people who have not been vaccinated.”
Vaccination rate
That approach is more like that of the United States. The US government announced that all government employees must be able to demonstrate that they have been vaccinated or tested negative. People who do not want to be vaccinated are obliged to wear a mouth mask at work.
Canada is one of the countries with the highest vaccination coverage; 82 percent of the population has had a first shot, 71 percent is fully vaccinated. Nevertheless, the number of infections has doubled in the past two weeks due to the delta variant of the virus.
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