Bosnia's Federation (FBiH) entity will as of December 20 introduce new coronavirus measures, which will prevent all those employed in health and social sectors as well as public administration to go to work unless they meet the so-called 'vaccinated, tested, recovered' criteria, the healthcare authorities announced on Thursday.

FBiH assistant health minister Goran Cerkez told N1 that the measures will be introduced gradually and the aim is to follow the practices of the many other countries towards the full normalisation of life.

According to Cerkez, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the last country in Europe to introduce these measures.

The FBiH entity, which makes half of Bosnia's territory reported 508 new cases out of 2,558 tests performed on Thursday, in addition to 18 COVID-related deaths. In other half of the country, Republika Srpska entity, healthcare authorities logged 312 new cases out of 838 tests performed and 16 fatalities. Its authorities have not announced yet similar measures.

Bosnia has seen another surge in new cases over the past weeks as the World Health Organisation is warning that Europe is once again at the epicentre of the pandemic.

Cerkez explained that the FBiH's cantons have been tasked to prepare for introducing the measures i.e. to enable these categories to either get vaccinated or, if they do not want to, to provide testing points for them.

“Employers will decide directly on what to do with the employees who do not meet any of the three conditions, just like in other countries,” he added.