Mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 is gaining increased momentum in several countries, including France, which has mandated healthcare workers to receive the vaccine to contain the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, raising concerns about a potential resurgence in infection rates. The coronavirus has caused 4,044,816 deaths worldwide, while the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations warned that the pandemic's impact on global food security will be long-lasting, contributing to an increase in hunger in 2020. The rise in global hunger (up 18% over the year) is the largest increase in at least 15 years and could undermine the United Nations' goal of eradicating world hunger by 2030. The COVAX initiative to secure vaccines for the world’s poorest countries will receive 110 million doses of the Chinese vaccines Sinovac and Sinopharm. The Delta variant is causing a surge in the pandemic in various parts of the world.
In Russia, a new record was announced on Tuesday with 780 daily COVID-19 deaths, marking the sixth time this month where such high figures were reported amid a significant Delta outbreak. In Malaysia, a vaccination center in Shah Alam was closed after tests showed that more than 200 of its staff members were infected with the virus. The World Health Organization representative, Yves Sotiren, stated in an interview with AFP that Tunisia is recording the "highest" number of deaths in the Arab region and Africa and is experiencing a "difficult" situation that may worsen, hence the country requires assistance and vaccines. Several countries have decided to tighten health measures to contain the virus's spread, particularly encouraging hesitant populations to get vaccinated.
In France, nearly a million people, mostly young individuals, booked appointments for the vaccine after President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday that returning to a normal social life would be largely contingent on vaccination. As of Tuesday, 926,000 French citizens had booked vaccination slots, according to the director of the vaccination appointment platform "Doctolib." On Monday evening, Macron announced the country's decision to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for healthcare workers and to implement a "health pass" in restaurants, cafes, and some transport systems starting in August. He clarified that all healthcare workers, whether direct caregivers or not, have until September 15 to get vaccinated before penalties take effect.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated on Tuesday that Germany "does not intend" to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory, betting once again on the "will" of the populace and "promoting" the vaccine. The movement towards mandatory vaccinations is gaining traction in European countries; in Greece, vaccinations for healthcare staff will be mandatory starting September 1, and in Italy, it will be mandatory for doctors and healthcare workers under the threat of penalties. The UK implemented a vaccination mandate for workers in nursing homes on June 16. The British government announced that most of the restrictions in England will be lifted on July 19, designated as "Freedom Day," though authorities have urged caution.
Meanwhile, Spanish tourist regions in Catalonia and Valencia decided to close bars and nightclubs to stop the spread of COVID-19, which is increasing throughout the country. Israel began administering a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to immunocompromised patients on Monday in light of renewed COVID-19 infections. The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemned on Monday the "greed" of countries considering administering a third vaccine dose while populations in many other countries are still waiting for their first shots. On Tuesday, Russia announced it had reached an agreement with the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, to produce 300 million doses annually of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19.
