It’s going to be hard for some people who don’t get vaccinated against Covid-19 to figure out how much money they’re going to have to spend on food, car insurance, and heating.
Look no further than Novak Djokovic, whose career is in danger because he hasn’t had a shot. Because of his vaccination status, the tennis star was not allowed to play in the Australian Open. He could have earned $3.3 million in prize money. But that’s just the beginning of his work:
A new law in the country has made it hard for Djok to play at places like sports arenas and restaurants unless you show that you have been vaccinated. It’s not clear how Djok will be able to play at the French Open, the next Grand Slam tournament. In both the United States and the United Kingdom, people who haven’t been vaccinated face very strict rules. They can’t go to the Wimbledon and US Open tournaments.
Lacoste, the clothing brand that sponsors Djokovic, said it would “look into the events” that led to his rejection by Australia. Djokovic is the 46th highest-paid athlete in the world. He makes about $30 million a year from endorsements.
As governments try to get more people who haven’t been vaccinated to get them, more and more people who haven’t been vaccinated are getting fines. A quick look back…
Starting on Sunday, people in Greece who haven’t been vaccinated will have to pay a fine of €50 ($57) every month. This fine will double in February. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “It’s the price you have to pay for being healthy,” he said.
All adults who haven’t been vaccinated will start getting fines of up to $4,108 beginning in mid-March.
Canada: The Quebec government said last week that people who haven’t been vaccinated will soon have to pay money. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it was a “question of fairness” for people who are vaccinated in Quebec, where 90% of adults are.
Last week, the Supreme Court in the United States ruled that President Biden’s vax-or-test mandate for large employers, which could have led to fines of up to $136,000, was not valid. Still, a number of businesses have imposed some kind of “no-vax tax” on their employees. Delta is charging unvaccinated employees on its health plan an extra $200 a month, and Kroger has taken away paid time off for employees who don’t get Covid.