Declining a Covid-19 Vaccine Risks Penalties in Some Countries - WSJ

Declining a Covid-19 Vaccine Risks Penalties in Some Countries

Indonesia levies fines, while other governments warn of restricting access to travel and public places

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Feb. 22, 2021 8:03 am ET

A woman receives a vaccine in Jakarta, Indonesia. Officials in the country say sanctions are a last effort to get people inoculated.

Photo: Zulkarnain/Xinhua/Zuma Press

Some countries are sharpening their Covid-19 vaccination pitches to the public: Get a shot or face a potential penalty.

With vaccination campaigns ramping up globally and some supply shortages easing, governments are looking for ways to make sure that holdouts don't undermine efforts to vaccinate enough people to achieve herd immunity.

The penalties range from fines and restricting access to public places to threatening the loss of priority access to vaccines.