New Zealand announced Monday that most caregivers and teachers will no longer be able to carry out their work without receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.
"
We can't leave anything to chance, which is why we are making it mandatory,
" said Chris Hipkins, the minister responsible for the fight against the coronavirus who is also the minister of education.
Doctors, nurses and other caregivers directly in contact with patients should be vaccinated before December 1.
Education personnel in contact with students must have received two doses by January 1.
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The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners supports compulsory vaccination and its president, Samantha Murton, called the move "
bold but necessary
".
“
Vaccination remains our most effective tool to protect us against contamination and disease,
” said Chris Hipkins.
For months, the archipelago was protected from the pandemic, in particular because of strict border measures.
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But the appearance in August in Auckland of the Delta variant of the highly contagious coronavirus was a game-changer and despite the containment measures, it has spread to the neighboring provinces of Northland and Waikato.
Last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern acknowledged that the “
zero Covid
”
strategy
pursued by the archipelago has failed to stop the spread of the virus.