Austria reimposes full lockdown, plans to make Covid-19 vaccines a mandate
Austria will become the first country in western Europe to reimpose a full Covid-19 lockdown
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Austria, November 19: Austria will become the first country in western Europe to reimpose a full Covid-19 lockdown to control a new wave of the virus, and will require the entire population to be vaccinated as of February, said its government.
“We have not succeeded in convincing enough people to get vaccinated,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said in a news conference. He added that the lockdown would start Monday and the requirement to be vaccinated on Feb. 1. He said that it hurts that such measures still have to be taken.
The issue has deepened thw rift between Schallenberg’s conservatives and the coalition partner, the Greens. Schallenberg said just days ago that he didn’t want to impose extra restrictions on the unvaccinated, even as Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein decided on a night-time curfew.
Roughly 2/3 of Austria’s population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19. one of the lowest rates in western Europe. Its infections are among the highest in the continent. Austria introduced a lockdown for all those who were unvaccinated on Monday, but since then, the infections continued to set new records.
The worst-hit provinces, Salzburg and Upper Austria, said on Thursday, they would introduce their own lockdowns, which rose the pressure on government to do the same on a national level.
“We have not succeeded in convincing enough people to get vaccinated,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said in a news conference. He added that the lockdown would start Monday and the requirement to be vaccinated on Feb. 1. He said that it hurts that such measures still have to be taken.
As the cold weather starts in across Europe as the winters approach, the governments have been forced to reimpose lockdowns. Netherlands has also reimposed a partial lockdown, with the bars and restaurants closing at 8 p.m.
The issue has deepened thw rift between Schallenberg’s conservatives and the coalition partner, the Greens. Schallenberg said just days ago that he didn’t want to impose extra restrictions on the unvaccinated, even as Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein decided on a night-time curfew.
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