Further incentives planned to bolster vaccination drive

As part of the effort to build a solid wall of immunity against Covid-19, the government is mulling a series of measures and further incentives to expedite vaccinations.

According to government officials, these incentives will not be implemented immediately due to the legal and moral implications of classifying members of the public on the basis of whether they have been vaccinated or not, before jabs are universally available to the vast majority of the populace.

When this does become the case, the government’s central guideline will stipulate that people will simply have to present a vaccination certificate to freely enter restaurants, bars, cinemas, theaters, entertainment venues as well as means of transport, such as airplanes and ships.

Those that do not have said certificate will have to present a negative molecular, rapid or self-test to access these venues. 

The latter option will involve frequent inconvenience, but also a significant financial cost as the tests will not be provided free of charge by the state for leisure purposes.

Bearing these limitations in mind, life will essentially be made more difficult for those who choose not to be vaccinated even though there will be no explicit ban in place forbidding them entry to indoor venues. 

What’s more, in view of the coming fall when weather conditions are more conducive to the spread of the coronavirus, the government is seeking additional ways to ensure that the public is protected and the immunity wall continues to hold. 

These include mandatory vaccinations for health workers as well as staff at nursing homes. Those who refuse will be suspended or put on unpaid leave.

Also by the fall, the government expects to have a better overall picture of three more unfolding developments that will affect its strategy in the fight against the coronavirus next year.

First of all, the results of the research into possible vaccinations for under-18s will become available, while it will have been clarified when repeat vaccinations should be administered in view of the new year.

More information is also expected on whether the next generation of vaccines will be simpler, so that jabs can be administered in clinics and pharmacies, or if a new inoculation program will have to be devised by the state for 2022.