Austrian unvaccinated lockdown starts amid COVID resurgence
Austria took what its leader called the “dramatic” step Monday of implementing a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people who haven’t recently had COVID-19, perhaps the most drastic of a string of measures being taken by European governments to get a massive regional resurgence of the coronavirus under control.
The move, which took effect at midnight, prohibits people 12 years old and older who haven’t been vaccinated or recently recovered from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping, going for a walk — or getting vaccinated.
The lockdown is initially being imposed until Nov. 24 in the Alpine country of 8.9 million. It doesn’t apply to children under 12 because they cannot yet officially get vaccinated — though the capital, Vienna, on Monday opened up vaccinations for under-12s as part of a pilot, and reported high demand.
Officials have said that police patrols will be stepped up and unvaccinated people can be fined up to 1,450 euros ($1,660) if they violate the lockdown. “We really didn’t take this step lightly and I don’t think it should be talked down,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg told Oe1 radio. “This a dramatic step — about 2 million people in this country are affected … what we are trying is precisely to reduce contact between the unvaccinated and vaccinated to a minimum, and also contact between the unvaccinated.”
“My aim is very clearly to get the unvaccinated to get themselves vaccinated and not to lock down the vaccinated,” Schallenberg added. “In the long term, the way out of this vicious circle we are in — and it is a vicious circle, we are stumbling from wave to lockdown, and that can’t carry on ad infinitum — is only vaccination.” About 65% of the population is fully vaccinated, a rate that Schallenberg has described as “shamefully low.”
Austria lockdown for unvaccinated to start Monday in EU first
Austria will begin a lockdown for people not vaccinated against COVID-19, a first in the EU as the Alpine member fights a record surge in cases, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said on Sunday.
About 65 percent of Austria’s almost nine million people are vaccinated, below the EU average of 67 percent, while daily increases in infections have hit records this week.
Other European governments are also eyeing unpopular COVID curbs, with the Netherlands opting for Western Europe’s first partial lockdown of the winter.
What Austria’s lockdown means ?
Austria’s lockdown means people over 12 who are not vaccinated or cannot show that they have recently recovered from COVID will not be allowed to leave the house except for reasons such as buying essential supplies, exercise or seeking medical care.
“The situation is serious… We don’t take this step with a light heart but unfortunately it is necessary,” Schallenberg told reporters in a televised press conference.
The lockdowns are to be enforced with random spot checks for the next 10 days with police patrols being stepped up. It will then be reviewed, according to the government.
Those who break the rules risk a 500-euro ($570) fine; those who refuse to show proof that they are vaccinated or have recently recovered can be fined three times as much.
The main committee of parliament approved the lockdown late on Sunday.
In his news conference, Schallenberg called again on those who have not yet been vaccinated to get jabbed.
‘Fight back now’
Hundreds gathered outside the chancellory for his announcement in a noisy protest, waving banners that read “No to mandatory vaccination” and “Our body, our freedom to decide”.
“I’m here to set a sign. We must fight back now… We want to work, we want to help people, but we don’t want to vaccinate ourselves because this is simply our decision,” Sarah Hein, an unvaccinated 30-year-old hospital worker, told AFP.
The government on Friday announced vaccinations would become mandatory for health workers.
However, the UK, which has one of the highest Covid infection rates, has yet to reintroduce restrictions, despite health leaders calling for rules like mandatory face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces to be brought back to avoid a winter crisis.
The measures introduced in Austria on Monday, which come amid growing pressure on the nation’s hospitals, will initially last for 10 days.
Children under the age of 12 and people who have recently recovered from the virus will be exempt.
Over the weekend, hundreds of people protested outside the chancellery in the capital, Vienna, waving banners that read: “Our bodies, our freedom to decide.”
One female protester said she was demonstrating “to fight for my rights”. “It is totally discriminatory what is happening here,” she said.
But Prof Eva Schernhammer, of the Medical University of Vienna, said the measures were needed, warning that hospital intensive care units were filling up. “It’s already projected that within two weeks we’ll have reached the limit,” she said.
Unvaccinated people were already barred from visiting restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas, but will now be expected to stay at home.
“In reality we have told one third of the population: you will not leave your [home] apart from for certain reasons,” Mr Schallenberg said.
“That is a massive reduction in contacts between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.”
Austria announces COVID-19 lockdown for unvaccinated only
Austria On Lockdown ForThe Unvaccinated
Austria’s new lockdown confines the unvaccinated to their homes.
The move, which is aimed at calming the worst surge in infections the country has faced since the pandemic started, is believed to be one of the first national lockdowns directed at the unvaccinated, and is initially expected to last 10 days.
“We do not take this step lightly,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said at a news conference on Sunday.
Austria is currently averaging 10,395 cases a day, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Less than 65 percent of the country is fully vaccinated, one of the lowest rates in the European Union.
The new lockdown, which comes a week after an announcement that most businesses were required to check customers for proof of vaccination or immunity, essentially aims to keep the estimated two million unvaccinated Austrians off the streets as cases are surging.
Outside the chancellery in Vienna on Sunday, where Mr. Schallenberg, his interior and health minister were announcing the new restrictions, a crowd gathered to protest them.
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