Eastern Europe, Djokovic and vaccine hesitancy

Australia has been gripped by the Novak Djokovic saga.  His plight has highlighted a much wider vaccine story emerging in Eastern Europe.

 

Some countries like Bulgaria, are facing an Omicron surge – and their vaccination rates are less than 50 percent.  Vojin Rakic, Professor at the University of Belgrade - a Serbian philosopher and political scientist – says some of the vaccine hesitancy can be blamed on people like Novak. BBC European correspondent, Kayleen Devlin, says there’s also an element of anti-western sentiment.

 

Hospitals are filling up, and governments are struggling to urge people to get vaccinated.  On today’s Briefing, what’s behind the Covid crisis in Eastern Europe.

 

 

Todays Headlines

• Man charged with murder of missing nine-year-old girl

• Victoria issues Code Brown as cases surge

• Tonga issues first volcano update: at least three dead

• Russian troops arriving in Belarus

• Five Aussies through to round two of the Australian Open

 

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