Transportation costs rise, adding to supply chain issues - September 17, 2021

Italy became the first European country to make a COVID-19 certificate mandatory for all workers. Any Italian workers that fail to present a valid certificate will face suspension and could have pay stopped. The document will detail whether a person has been vaccinated, recently recovered from the virus or tested negative. Currently, nearly two-thirds of Italians are vaccinated. Will Biden's mandates work? Macron's vaccine pass gamble may hold some clues - CNN Which countries are enforcing mandatory Covid jabs – and how? - The Guardian @ClareinItaly: Yes, Italy's new Covid green pass extension really does apply to all workplaces and no, your anti-vax colleague won't be left with a great deal of options. Here are all the details about the new rules coming in next month Once used sparingly around the country, religious exemptions are growing in popularity as more COVID-19 vaccine mandates are implemented. An estimated 2,600 Los Angeles Police Department employees are citing religious objections to try to get out of the required vaccination, and thousands of state workers in Washington are seeking similar exemptions. No major denomination opposes the vaccine, even the Christian Science Church whose adherents largely rely on prayer rather than medicine. This pastor will sign a religious exemption for vaccines if you donate to his church - The Washington Post Vaccine Resisters Seek Religious Exemptions. But What Counts as Religious? - The New York Times Transportation costs emerged as another supply-chain hurdle, overwhelming many businesses already confronting higher wages and raw material prices. Some CEOs said they expect elevated freight costs to stretch in 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to port lockdowns and container ships being taken out of service, resulting in an overall reduction capacity. The cost of shipping containers across the ocean is now higher, truck drivers are in short supply and gasoline is more expensive. How the pandemic turned humble shipping containers into the hottest item