The Czech Republic and Slovakia have tightened restrictions on people who have not had COVID-19 shots in an attempt to prompt more people to get vaccinated amid surging infections.
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The measures taken are similar to those in Austria and parts of Germany against the unvaccinated population as Europe faces a rise in infections.
The Czech government approved plans to allow only people who are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months to enter restaurants, attend certain events and use various other services from next Monday.
Slovakia took a similar step, in what Prime Minister Eduard Heger called a “lockdown for the unvaccinatedâ€.
The Czech Republic, a country of 10.7 million, reported a record high 22,585 cases on Wednesday and 73 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Overall, it has recorded more than 1.93 million cases and more than 31,000 fatalities.
Both governments will also require testing for COVID-19 at workplaces.
“The main goal of these measures is motivation for vaccinations,†Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtech said.
Czech President Andrej Babis warned that the country was facing a “serious†situation as cases surge.
“I am glad that after many negotiations in the last two days, there has been an agreement between experts and the government,†he wrote on Twitter, adding that they were inspired to announce the restrictions based on the Bavaria state in Germany.
Greece has become the latest country in the European Union to impose more restrictions on those unvaccinated against COVID-19 following a surge in infections in recent weeks.
In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said from Monday, unvaccinated people will be largely barred from indoor spaces, including restaurants, cinemas, museums and gyms, even if they test negative for COVID-19.
“This is indeed a pandemic of the unvaccinated,†Mitsotakis said. “Greece is mourning unnecessary losses because it simply does not have the vaccination rates of other European countries.â€
Under the new rules in Greece, vaccination certificates of those over 60 will be valid for seven months after being issued, in an effort to encourage them to get a third, “booster†shot.
Worshippers attending church will be allowed to enter with a negative test, Mitsotakis said. ■