Kurdistan Region makes COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for public and private sectors

Dler S. Mohammed 2021/10/25 15:50

A health care worker administer COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation centre in Erbil, August 7, 2021. (Photo: Safin Hamed/AFP)

Kurdistan COVID-19 Coronavirus Kurdistan Region

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) spokesperson Jotiar Adil announced on Monday that vaccination against COVID-19 is now mandatory for everybody working in both public and private sector offices as well as the security and education sectors.

Adil’s statement followed a meeting of Kurdistan Region Supreme Committee to Confront Coronavirus.

Under these new measures, KRG public service employees must get fully vaccinated by Jan. 1, 2022. Teachers and students must be vaccinated by Dec. 1 of this year.

The new measure come after a sharp increase in the number of people who have been infected by the virus in the region in recent weeks.

Per Adil’s statement, the employees who don’t follow the new measures will face administrative punishments by the institutions they are employed by.

“Wearing masks is obligatory for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, while at public places,” Adil stated.

“Vaccination for students below 18 years is not obligated,” he said. “However, they still have to wear masks while at schools and public places.”

“Participants of conferences and seminars should have a vaccination card or COVID-19 test card,” Adil said. “Traffic Police should apply these regulations on the drivers.”

Religious leaders have also been asked to educate people on the importance of abiding by these measures to protect themselves.