The New Zealand government has decided to make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for the country’s port workers. Government officials had hinted they might make this official last week and yesterday they pressed ahead with the ruling, something that was backed up by local maritime unions.

In total, around 1,800 airport and port frontline workers will now need to be vaccinated in order to do their job, Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins said.

Just over 50% of active port workers have been fully vaccinated in New Zealand to date. Cases of ships arriving from overseas with Covid-hit seafarers continue to make headlines in the country.

Governments forcing citizens to take Covid-19 jabs are becoming more commonplace. Yesterday, Emanuel Macron, the president of France, gave a September 15 deadline for all health workers to get fully vaccinated.