(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, DEC 1 - It is time for the European
Union to "think about mandatory vaccination" against Covid,
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday,
while stressing member state governments would decide. "My
personal position is... I think it is understandable and
appropriate to lead this discussion now," she told a media
conference, underlining that a third of the EU population of 450
million was still unvaccinated. "How we can encourage and
potentially think about mandatory vaccination within the
European Union? This needs discussion. This needs a common
approach. But it is a discussion that I think has to be led,"
she said. Several EU countries have already taken steps in that
direction. Austria has announced compulsory Covid-19
vaccinations from February 1 next year and Germany is mulling
following suit. Greece on Tuesday said jabs would be mandatory
for over-60s. (ANSA-AFP).
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