Passports for Pubs, Mandatory Shots: Europe Ramps Up Covid Fight

Unvaccinated Europeans increasingly in politicians’ crosshairs

Chefs wearing protective masks cook in the kitchen of a restaurant in Paris, France, on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Europe is waking up from the pandemic with cafes in Paris, gelato vendors in Rome and beer gardens in Bavaria reopening, a major test for the regions recovery in health and economic terms.Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg

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By Fergal O'Brien and Irina Vilcu

July 26, 2021 at 9:35 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Covid-19 vaccination rates are rising across Europe, restaurants and bars are reopening, people are traveling for work and leisure, and life is returning to something resembling normal.

But the virus hasn't gone away, and the recent increase in daily cases, along with the delta mutation, is keeping health officials and governments on edge, pushing many of them to take extreme steps in the fight against the pandemic.