Since Beijing announced it is reopening China’s borders, Hong Kong announced that beginning on Dec. 29, most of the pandemic measures will be lifted but the mask mandate will remain in effect. On Dec. 28, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said that the vaccination rate in Hong Kong is relatively high, and that more than 2.5…

According to the Hong Kong Vaccination Dashboard dated Dec. 8, some 6,902,737 (94.5 percent) people aged three and older have had the first COVID-19 vaccine. Hong Kong people need a vaccine pass to provine their vaccination status before they can enter offices, restaurants, sports centers, universities,  libraries, and public hospitals. However, there are still some people…

Since the Hong Kong government is trying to increase the COVID-19 vaccination rate, although people are allowed to apply for a “COVID-19 vaccination medical exemption certificate,” commonly known as a “jab-free cert,” from doctors because of their own illness, the authorities tightened the threshold at the beginning of this year, forcing many people who need…

Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Communicable Disease Branch of the Centre for Health Protection in Hong Kong, confirmed on Sept.1. that the Hong Kong government will announce as early as this week, that it will lower the vaccine pass age limit to include children as young as five years old.  That means children five…

The French government on Monday enacted a new law that will block unvaccinated individuals from entering most public venues such as restaurants, bars, tourist sites, and sports venues. The measure, which applies to everyone aged 16 and above who is not vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, does not apply to those who have…

PARIS—France’s parliament gave final approval on Sunday to the government’s latest COVID-19 measures, including a vaccine pass. Lawmakers in the lower house of parliament voted 215 in favor to 58 against, paving the way for the law to enter force in the coming days. The new law, which had a rough ride through parliament with…

PARIS—French government officials on Tuesday vowed to enact by mid-January as planned a law to block unvaccinated people from hospitality venues, despite the legislation hitting a procedural hitch in parliament overnight. “January 15 remains our goal,” for the law coming into force, European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune told LCI television. Until now France has enforced…

NEW YORK CITY—Approximately two in five New York City restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues weren’t fully abiding by the city’s COVID-19 vaccination pass mandate when first inspected. The city managed to inspect nearly two-thirds of the estimated 31,000 businesses that are required to ask their employees and customers for proof of vaccination. Some 8,000 were…

NEW YORK CITY—Approximately two in five New York City restaurants, gyms, and entertainment venues weren’t fully abiding by the city’s COVID-19 vaccination pass mandate when first inspected. The city managed to inspect nearly two-thirds of the estimated 31,000 businesses that are required to ask their employees and customers for proof of vaccination. Some 8,000 were…

THE HAGUE—Protesters gathered to march against the introduction of a “corona pass” in the Netherlands on Saturday as proof of COVID-19 vaccination became compulsory to get into bars, restaurants, theaters, and other venues. The new requirement to show the pass, or a recent negative coronavirus test, coincided with the lifting of almost all social distancing…