New Variant New Rules Imposed By European Countries Meets With Resistance

Czech Republic

A list of rules has been passed by the European government for encouraging people to be vaccinated. People have been asked to provide certificate for vaccination, a negative test result or evidence of having had Covid, which in turn has induced many new regulations across Europe. With the onset of another winter holiday season affected by the virus, newer and puzzling rules have got introduced in Europe. Some of the rules ae as below.

Czech Republic, for example has now imposed a pass on those indulging in the traditional pig slaughter pre-Christmas ritual. As per the new regulation, vaccine passes are now required to participate in these “pig slaughter parties” and up to 1,000 people can attend the events, which usually have only a few family members present. Vaccine passes will also be made compulsory for night clubs and dance floors or ‘space for dancing,’ whereas the requirement to produce a vaccine pass starts at 1.00am, which implies that travelers can enter a night club before 1.00am without being asked for any proof of vaccination.

Owners of night clubs and dance floors have shown reluctance for asking staff to make their way across dance floors to check passes after the 1:00am threshold.

In Greece, for example, attending Christmas services in church has become a confusing and difficult problem, as the government in November decreed that the unvaccinated had to produce a rapid test or proof of vaccination to be able to go to church. In a response to this rule, the governing body of the Orthodox Church of Greece, has expressed skepticism about vaccines, saying that it is not in a position to conduct checks at the entrance of churches.

For Latvia, elected officials will now have to be vaccinated or face a temporary suspension from their duties in case they do not have the vaccine certificate. Facing the new rule, so far, nineteen municipal councilors have been suspended across the country so far and seats given temporarily to the runner-up in the elections that originally brought them to power. For starters, Julija Stepanenko, co-founder of the Latvia First! party, has already been suspended.

In Lithuania, one now needs a Covid pass to visit a fuel pump. The previous rule was that people without Covid passes could go into petrol stations but only for less than 15 minutes, also one could still fill up their car when it is possible to pay by card outdoors.

Entry to Shopping, Centre, Gym or Spa is also not allowed with Covid certificates in Lithuania. People are not allowed to enter restaurants but can purchase takeaways or use outdoor seating — an unlikely prospect as temperatures drop as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius in the capital Vilnius.