Covid vaccination compulsory in Austria, in EU first
Published: 03:02 PM,Feb 05,2022 | EDITED : 07:02 PM,Feb 05,2022
Employees examine the coronavirus PCR gargle tests in the LifeBrain laboratory in Vienna. - AFP
VIENNA: Austrians over the age of 18 must be vaccinated against Covid-19 from Saturday or face the possibility of a heavy fine, an unprecedented measure in the European Union. The new measure, adopted on January 20 by Parliament, came into force on Saturday, the culmination of a process that began in November in the face of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
The government decided to pursue its new, tougher approach despite criticism within the country.
'No other country in Europe is following us on compulsory vaccines,' said Manuel Krautgartner, who has campaigned against the new approach.
In neighbouring Germany, a similar proposal championed by the new Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz was debated last month in the lower house of parliament but many MPs still oppose the idea.
Despite the threat of such a drastic measure, the vaccination rate in Austria has still failed to take off, languishing below the levels seen in France or Spain. The humanitarian association Arbeiter Samariter Bund, which oversees some vaccination sites in the capital Vienna, said there had an uptick in turnout this week.
'We recorded a small increase of around nine perc ent compared to last week,' the organisation's manager, Michael Hausmann, said.
From the average of around 7,000 injections administered every day in the capital, only 10 per cent are a first dose, he said.
Erika Viskancove, a 33-year-old accountant, said she came to a vaccination centre situated next to an Art Deco swimming pool to receive her third booster dose.
'I sincerely believe that the law is the best way' to defeat the pandemic, she said, calling on other countries to follow Austria's lead.
Melanie, a 23-year-old waitress who preferred not to give her second name, said she was mainly there to avoid ending up 'locked up at home'.
Non-vaccinated people are currently excluded from restaurants, sports and cultural venues. But from now on they will also be subject to fines, which Melanie said was 'unhealthy'. The law applies to all adult residents with the exception of pregnant women, those who have contracted the virus within the past 180 days and those with medical exemptions. - AFP
The government decided to pursue its new, tougher approach despite criticism within the country.
'No other country in Europe is following us on compulsory vaccines,' said Manuel Krautgartner, who has campaigned against the new approach.
In neighbouring Germany, a similar proposal championed by the new Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz was debated last month in the lower house of parliament but many MPs still oppose the idea.
Despite the threat of such a drastic measure, the vaccination rate in Austria has still failed to take off, languishing below the levels seen in France or Spain. The humanitarian association Arbeiter Samariter Bund, which oversees some vaccination sites in the capital Vienna, said there had an uptick in turnout this week.
'We recorded a small increase of around nine perc ent compared to last week,' the organisation's manager, Michael Hausmann, said.
From the average of around 7,000 injections administered every day in the capital, only 10 per cent are a first dose, he said.
Erika Viskancove, a 33-year-old accountant, said she came to a vaccination centre situated next to an Art Deco swimming pool to receive her third booster dose.
'I sincerely believe that the law is the best way' to defeat the pandemic, she said, calling on other countries to follow Austria's lead.
Melanie, a 23-year-old waitress who preferred not to give her second name, said she was mainly there to avoid ending up 'locked up at home'.
Non-vaccinated people are currently excluded from restaurants, sports and cultural venues. But from now on they will also be subject to fines, which Melanie said was 'unhealthy'. The law applies to all adult residents with the exception of pregnant women, those who have contracted the virus within the past 180 days and those with medical exemptions. - AFP