Ukraine’s decades-long vaccine hesitancy bites as refugees flee
Two million people have now fled Ukraine, and Europe — with the exception of the UK — has opened its borders. At Berlin Hauptbahnhof, packed trains arriving from Poland have been met by crowds of Berliners, holding up signs with offers of a place to sleep. But this show of goodwill has come up against some Covid-shaped barriers.
Much of Europe still has strict Covid regulations in place — meaning those who aren’t vaccinated are barred from using public transport or entering most businesses, cafes, hotels and restaurants unless they have a green pass showing they’ve tested negative. In Stuttgart, Germany, dozens of refugees were forced to sleep overnight in the train station’s waiting room after they were barred from staying in hotels because they lacked “the relevant evidence” to prove their Covid credentials.
“They are already unwell, they’re fleeing a war, they’ve come to Germany, and now on top of everything they have to face these difficulties, and are told that first, they need to be vaccinated,” said Maria Azzarone, co-founder of Wolja, an NGO which is helping refugees stranded in Stuttgart. She described how some were able to find some hotels with on-the-spot testing, but others were forced to spend the night huddled on benches in the train station.
In Italy, unvaccinated Ukrainians face similar problems. Prime Minister Mario Draghi hasn’t waived Green Pass requirements for incoming refugees — and they need to either be fully vaccinated or pay for a test every 48 hours to access public transport, hotels, and restaurants.