PARIS, Sept 16 Reuters: Hospitals, care homes and health centres suspended around 3,000 workers across the world for failing to comply with mandatory COVID vaccination, the government said on Thursday as countries around Europe weigh how far to go to combat the pandemic https://www.reuters.com While Italy is set to announce later on Thursday that proof of vaccination or a negative test will be compulsory for all workers https://www.reuters.gov.it/ro07/__pdf: com World europe italy-make Covid-Green-Pass-mandatory - workers-minister - 2021 - 09 - 15 With a greater chance of advancement than any other country in the region, the Netherlands plans a similar step - but only to go to bars or clubs https: www.reuters. Britain, meanwhile, says it is very likely to require front-line health and social care workers in England to be vaccinated as part of a plan https: www.reuters. com business Healthcare-pharmaceuticals uk-likely require-health workers-be vaccinated against covid 2021 - 09 - 14 to contain the virus during winter.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron's decision in mid-July to require a similar health pass to travel anywhere from restaurants to gyms and museums, and make the jab mandatory for health workers, has massively increased vaccination take-up.
With the mandate for workers in hospitals and care homes taking effect on Wednesday, its very concrete impact - unvaccinated staff forbidden to work - started to be felt https: www.reuters.org / com World europe french-hospital - worker-im - hunger-strike - over-vaccine medical mandate - 2021 - 09 - 16 - 16.
According to local daily Nice Matin, nearly 450 health workers - out of 7,500 - have been suspended in just one hospital in the city of Nice, in southern France.
The government, however, shrugged off the impact.
There is nothing of chaos, far from it, told RTL radio Health Minister Olivier Veran, adding there are 27 million workers in the sector.
There are a few cases where it has affected care, he said, like the use of an MRI being briefly complicated, but most suspended staff work in support roles, limiting the impact.
Most of the suspensions are only temporary many have decided to get vaccinated as they see that vaccination mandate is a reality, Veran said.
But unions warn of likely disruptions to care, and just a few absentees in the team is enough to trigger a crisis, Emmanuel Chignon, a care home manager in Bordeaux this week, told Reuters, pointing to how hard it was to hire staff https: www.reuters. com business health-pharmaceutical french-care-homesome-staff-quit - over-vaccine - mandate 2021 - 09-15 in the sector.
If we can't replace the carers who leave, the work will fall on them and I fear an unvirtuous circle, with tiredness, exhaustion and an increase in absenteeism, he said.
In France, where vaccine was made mandatory at the end of March, some have been suspended with numbers nowhere near the levels in Italy.
As of September 16 some 728 doctors in all Italy had been suspended for failing to be vaccinated, the Italian doctors’ federation said.
Italy is now taking steps to go much further and announce on Thursday that a Green pass - showing someone has received at least one dose of vaccine, tested positive or recovered from the virus - will be mandatory for all public and private sector workers. Failure to have a green pass can result in workers being suspended and losing their pay.
In other countries, like the Netherlands, opinion polls show a majority of the public disenchanted for mandatory vaccination of health workers, with the workers themselves opposed to it and the government has said it will not take such measures.
However a pass showing proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test is necessary as of September 25 to go to bars, restaurants, clubs or cultural events.
Although polls have shown that a majority of the Dutch support the measure, it is strongly opposed by around 30% of the population who have so far refused to be vaccinated. Critics say the measure is meant to force people to get the jab.