COVID-19 vaccine pass now mandatory in Algeria amid hesitancy
A "vaccine passport'' is now a requirement in Algeria before entering a wide range of public venues, as the country tries to overcome vaccine hesitancy that has left millions of COVID-19 vaccines unused.
The pass is now
required for anyone entering or leaving Algeria, as well as for sports
facilities, cinemas, theaters, museums, town halls and some other sites. It
also applies to hammams, the bath houses that are popular across the
region.
Less than a quarter of Algeria's population has had even one
vaccine dose, so the rule will be difficult to enforce. It was announced in a
government statement Saturday night and came into effect Sunday, leaving
Algerians and businesses no time to prepare.
The government said the measure was aimed primarily at
dealing with a rebound in infections from the delta variant. Only two cases of
the omicron variant have been confirmed in Algeria but authorities are bracing
for more.
The government said other measures could be taken in the
coming days depending on the evolution of the epidemic.
Official figures show Algeria has seen 6,230 COVID-related
deaths including seven in the past week, and 217,000 cases overall.
But even members of the government's scientific committee admit the real figures are much higher. Out of fears of being blamed for getting the virus or other stigma, some Algerians keep their infections secret, which then puts others at risk.
