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December 6, 2021

More Protests Erupt as European Countries Tighten Vaccine Mandates
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Another series of demonstrations against COVID restrictions took place
over the weekend, including a rally of 40,000 people in Vienna, Austria,
where a lockdown is starting today, and vaccinations are set to become
mandatory in February. In Belgium, protesters clashed with police in
Brussels as they marched towards the E.U. headquarters. Demonstrations
also took place in Spain, Germany, The Netherlands and Australia.

In Germany, outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel used her final video
podcast as the country's leader to urge residents to get vaccinated amid
a fourth COVID wave.

Chancellor Angela Merkel: "[…] take the malicious virus seriously. Right
now the new Omicron variant seems to be more infectious as the previous
ones. Get yourself vaccinated. It doesn't matter if it is a first shot
or a booster. Every vaccine helps."

Germany is essentially barring unvaccinated people from public life.

In Jordan, a court sentenced five senior health officials to three years
in prison Sunday, over the deaths of 10 COVID patients after a state
hospital experienced an oxygen shortage in March. The deaths triggered
anti-government protests across Jordan.


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