COVID-19 Vaccines No Longer Mandatory in France

Today, the High Health Authority in France relaxed the vaccination guidelines for healthcare workers, stating, "The vaccine is no longer mandatory, but it is still strongly recommended in light of recent pandemic data." It added, "This recommendation to lift the mandate for COVID-19 vaccination does not in any way undermine its previous recommendations made in various healthcare and epidemic contexts." The government justified the decision as necessary to maintain the safety of hospitals. According to unions, the decision has led to a decrease in the available workforce in the already chronically understaffed French healthcare sector.