Returning Holidaymakers Pushing Coronavirus Cases Up in Germany and France

BERLIN, KOMPAS.com – Germany and France are seeing a surge in coronavirus cases after recording their worst daily infection rates in months.

The news comes amid growing concerns that Europe’s coronavirus cases could spike as returning holidaymakers make their way back home and children returning to school.

In the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that the government would not make it mandatory for the general public to have any future Covid-19 vaccine.

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But he said local jurisdictions could make it mandatory for some groups, like children.

"You don't want to mandate and try and force anyone to take a vaccine. We've never done that," said Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, during a video talk Wednesday organised by George Washington University.

His comments came hours after Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that coronavirus vaccines, once approved, would be mandatory for everyone in his country barring medical exemptions.

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Mandatory tests

An ethics and safety debate is raging around the world as the race to develop a vaccine gathers pace.

Pope Francis said Wednesday that the pandemic is exacerbating inequalities between rich and poor, and called for universal vaccines not reserved just for the wealthiest.

Some governments have struck deals with companies, hoping to secure exclusive supplies of the vaccines when developed in hopes of ending the pandemic, which has now killed more than 780,000 people and infected over 22 million, according to an AFP tally.

Germany Thursday reported 1,707 new cases of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the highest daily toll since the peak of the pandemic in April.

The country has fared better than many European neighbors in suppressing the virus so far but like elsewhere, the number of cases has jumped significantly over the summer holidays.

Much of the rise has been blamed on returning holidaymakers as well as parties and family gatherings. Schools already resumed last week in parts of Germany.