Time to 'think about mandatory vaccination': EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen

It is time for the European Union to "think about mandatory vaccination" against Covid, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, while stressing member state governments would decide.

"My personal position is... I think it is understandable and appropriate to lead this discussion now," she told a media conference, underlining that a third of the EU population of 450 million was still unvaccinated.

"How we can encourage and potentially think about mandatory vaccination within the European Union? This needs discussion. This needs a common approach. But it is a discussion that I think has to be led," she said.