New Zealand has announced a sweeping "no jab, no job" policy for most healthcare workers and teachers to prevent the spread of Covid-19. "We can't leave anything to chance so that's why we are making it mandatory," said Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins, who is also the education minister.
Doctors, nurses and other frontline health workers must be double-jabbed by 1 December while everyone working in the education sector who has contact with students must have their two doses by 1 January.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners backed mandatory vaccinations with president of the organisation Samantha Murton describing it as a "bold, but necessary call" to make.