Canadian federal employees are obliged to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday. According to Trudeau, those who will not be vaccinated by the end of October will be placed on unpaid administrative leave.
As estimated, there are about 300,000 civil servants in Canada.
In addition, vaccination in Canada has become mandatory for people over 12 years of age travelling domestically by rail and air.
Trudeau called these measures "some of the most stringent in the world".
“Vaccines are the most effective tool against COVID-19, and countless Canadians – including many public servants – have already done their part and gotten their shots. But no one is safe until everyone is safe. We have enough doses in Canada for every person to be fully vaccinated across the country, so I encourage all Canadians who haven’t been vaccinated to book their shot today. Together, we will finish the fight against COVID-19,” Justin Trudeau said.
To date, more than 80% of the population aged 12 and over has already been vaccinated against coronavirus in Canada.
According to the Maryland's Johns Hopkins University, more than 1.65 million cases of coronavirus were detected in Canada during the pandemic. More than 28 thousand have died.