Authorities in Los Angeles are ready to enact one of the United States’ toughest vaccine mandates. Meanwhile, South Korea will allow pregnant women to sign up for vaccinations starting this week.
City leaders in Los Angeles on Wednesday were poised to approve one of the toughest vaccine mandates in the US.
If enacted, the mandate would require people to show proof of full COVID-19 inoculation for entering restaurants, bars, salons, gyms, shopping centers, sports arenas and other indoor city facilities.
People with religious or medical exemptions for jabs would be required to show negative coronavirus tests within 72 hours of entry to the facilities.
The City Council was slated to consider the proposal after a vote was postponed last week amid concerns over specifics of the rules, such as who could be fined for violations.
The sweeping measure has been criticized on grounds that it could lead to segregation of those who cannot or refuse to be jabbed. Some have also deemed the ordinance enforceable.
Europe
The head of Germany‘s vaccination advisory panel said the country has seen more COVID-19 breakthrough cases among young people who received the “one and done” shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Thomas Mertens, the head of the committee, also said the benefits of a third booster shot of the COVID-19 is clear for the elderly and immunocompromised though the data concerning booster shots for younger people “is more difficult to assess.”
In the Netherlands, a Dutch court in The Hague dismissed an effort to ditch the “corona pass” for the vaccinated that permits entry to public places such as bars, museums, restaurants and theaters.
The court in The Hague ruled the demand for proof of vaccination or a recent negative test was not a violation of human rights nor did it inflict prejudice on the vaccine-hesitant.
Sweden and Denmark’s public health agencies on Wednesday paused the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people born in 1991 or later, citing concerns over the increased risk of side effects such as inflammation of the heart muscles (myocarditis).
The Swedish public health agency said the connection was “especially clear” after the second dose of Moderna’s Spikevax jab, although the risk was very small.
The Danish move to stop giving the vaccine to people under 18 was according to “the precautionary principle,” its health authority said. A Finnish decision was expected on Thursday.