Italy First in EU to Mandate COVID-19 Shots for Health Workers

Italy First in EU to Mandate COVID-19 Shots for Health Workers
Italy's Prime Minister, Mario Draghi speaks during a press conference in Rome amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic on March 26, 2021. Alessandra Tarantino/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
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Italy on March 31 became the first EU country to mandate that its health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus, in a move the government said is aimed at protecting its vulnerable patients in hospitals.

In a decree passed by Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s cabinet, all health care workers, including pharmacists, “are required to undergo vaccination,” and those who refuse to be vaccinated could face suspension without pay for the remainder of the year.

Isabel van Brugen
Isabel van Brugen
Reporter
Isabel van Brugen is an award-winning journalist. She holds a master's in newspaper journalism from City, University of London.
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