Head of police trade union unhappy with mandatory vaccination decree

The government decision to create a decree obligating health workers, soldiers, firefighters and police officers to get vaccinated against Covid-19 from March 2022 has been met with criticism from the head of the country’s Independent Police Trade Union (NOS PČR), Tomáš Machovič, news site Novinky.cz reported on Saturday.

Mr Machovič believes that neither the current nor future governments have clear plans regarding the decree. He said that his organisation will lobby to have it cancelled and for the coronavirus vaccine to remain voluntary. He also said that it is not yet clear how the decree’s orders will be enforced and what sort of penalties police officers who refuse to follow it will face.

The decree was passed by the outgoing government of Andrej Babiš. However, the incoming government’s nominee for Minister of Health, Vlastimil Válek, has said that the decree will be amended.