Austria orders lockdown for unvaccinated as Covid-19 resurgence grips Europe
- Austrian authorities are concerned about rising deaths and that hospital staff will no longer be able to handle the growing influx of Covid-19 patients
- Europe has been battling a resurgence of cases, with the WHO earlier this month declaring that the region was again at the epicentre of the pandemic
The Austrian government ordered a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people starting midnight Sunday to slow the fast spread of the coronavirus in the country.
The move prohibits unvaccinated individuals older than age 12 from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping, going for a walk – or getting vaccinated.
Authorities are concerned about rising deaths and that hospital staff will no longer be able to handle the growing influx of Covid-19 patients.
“It’s our job as the government of Austria to protect the people,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg told reporters in Vienna on Sunday. “Therefore we decided that starting Monday … there will be a lockdown for the unvaccinated.”
The lockdown affects about 2 million people in the Alpine country of 8.9 million people, news agency APA reported. It does not apply to children under the age of 12 because they cannot yet officially get vaccinated.
The lockdown will initially last for 10 days and police have been asked to check people outside to make sure they are vaccinated, Schallenberg said adding that additional officers would go on patrol to control the lockdown.