Totalitarianism 2.0

#Brussels ' police said 3,800 demonstrators took part in a march in the Belgian capital on Tuesday to protest against a government plan to make #vaccination against #Covid -19 compulsory for healthcare workers.

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The chief of the European Union's executive arm said Wednesday that EU nations should open a debate around making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory because too many people still refuse to get shots voluntarily.The EU-wide vaccination rate stands at 66% . . .

. . . European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was a matter for each member state to decide, but regretted the amount of doses that are being left unused. Health policy remains a national prerogative in the EU.

www.euronews.com/2021/12/01/eu-should-consider-mandatory-vaccination-says-von-der-leyen

5 MEPs responding to Ursula von der Leyen's proposal to talk about mandatory vaccination in EU

Tens of thousands of people have staged a protest in Austria against measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, including mandatory vaccinations.

Police say about 44,000 people rallied in the capital, Vienna, the fourth straight weekend of demonstrations.

Last month Austria became the first western European country to reimpose a lockdown for those who are vaccinated, which ends on Sunday.

But restrictions will continue for unvaccinated people.

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59625302

The Netherlands has announced a strict lockdown over Christmas amid concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Non-essential shops, bars, gyms hairdressers and other public venues will be closed until at least mid-January. Two guests per household will be allowed - four over the holidays.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the measures were "unavoidable".

Countries across Europe have been tightening restrictions as the heavily mutated variant spreads.

The new rules in the Netherlands - the strictest to have been announced over Omicron so far - come into force on Sunday.

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59713503

Germany has become the latest European country to ban most travellers from Britain, to try to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

German nationals and residents will still be allowed to enter from the UK.

They must have a negative test and quarantine for two weeks, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated.

The measures take effect from Sunday evening and France has already introduced similar curbs as coronavirus infections surge in Britain.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-59715820