Austria’s mandatory jabs regime comes into force

Austria loosened its movement restrictions on unvaccinated people on Monday, with a compulsory vaccination policy due to enter into force on Tuesday. Unvaccinated Austria residents have mostly been confined to their homes since 15 November.

The government’s enforced vaccination is the first such mandate in the European Union. Fines of up to EUR 3,600 will be issued to those who are not vaccinated by mid-March. Austria currently has 1.8 million active COVID:19 infections and an aggregate death toll of over 14,000 deaths. More than 75% of Austria’s nearly 9 million population in Austria have been double-jabbed. While hospitalisations in intensive care units of people with COVID:19 have dropped by a third in Austria, political support for restrictions has waned.

Under the new regulations, people who cannot show a vaccination certificate or prove that they have recovered from Coronavirus can perform basic errands such as food shopping and exercise, but will be denied entry to restaurants or non-food shops. From Saturday shops and restaurants can stay open until midnight and the number of people allowed into events will double to 50. From a week on Saturday, evidence of vaccination or recovery from Coronavirus will not be required to enter shops, but shoppers will be required to wear FFP2 masks.

Source: The Local