Dramatic steps in the war against the unvaccinated continue. Lithuania’s Cabinet yesterday voted in favor of new sweeping regulations that will further restrict the unvaccinated from participating in society.
If the resolution is approved by parliament, as is expected in coming days, everyone would be required to present an opportunity passport before participating in daily tasks such as riding public transport, attending public events (indoor and outdoor) including theatre, concerts, and festivals. Cafes, restaurants, and stores selling “non-essential” items that are larger than 1,500 sqm, would all be off-limits, even including entering health care institutions that provide “non-essential” heath services.
The Lithuanian regulations appear to be some of the strictest restrictions on those who decided not to inject the COVID vaccine. Numerous other countries including the U.K., France, Israel, and parts of the USA have recently instituted similar policies despite scientific research, the CDC, and U.K. heath officials all confirming that vaccinated people can still transmit COVID to the same degree as the unvaccinated.
These new restrictions sweeping the globe are in response to the recent increase in COVID cases, particularly in highly vaccinated countries. Israel, the test lab for mass vaccination, has reached over 3,000 new COVID cases a day, similar to where it was back in February, and is currently ranked 11th in new cases per million, now back on the CDC’s list of “highest risk” countries.
In response, the Israeli government just tightened its “Green Pass” restrictions, is discussing a fourth national lockdown by September, started revaccinating the 60+ age group, and announced that the police’s number one priority is to enforce the indoor mask mandate, dedicating over 1,200 officers to the effort, and using police surveillance drones. This, despite science research and empirical data that has shown masks to be ineffective at reducing the spread of COVID.
