Covid-19 Vaccines Are Becoming Mandatory in Parts of China – The Wall Street Journal

Several local governments in China are planning to bar residents who havent been vaccinated against Covid-19 from accessing public venues, stirring controversy as the country makes a push for herd immunity.

In recent days, a dozen counties and cities in the eastern provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi set late-August deadlines for people 18 years or older to complete a two-shot vaccine regimen, according to similarly worded online statements. Many of them also set dates in late July by which unvaccinated people would be barred from entering schools, libraries, prisons, nursing homes and inpatient facilities at hospitals without a valid medical exemption.

Some of the localities attributed their new policies to national, provincial and municipal arrangements, without explaining whether they received a decree from the central government.

China is dealing with sporadic outbreaks of Covid-19 and authorities have been offering homegrown vaccines free of charge since last December.

The government notices have sparked online pushback from some Chinese and triggered a debateas in the U.S. and elsewhereabout whether people should be required to present proof of inoculation to travel, work or undertake other routine activities outside their home.

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Covid-19 Vaccines Are Becoming Mandatory in Parts of China - The Wall Street Journal