Austria orders lockdown on all unvaccinated

Austria orders lockdown to all unvaccinated residents, a first in the EU, with other member nations closely monitoring its success.

Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said the lockdown was “necessary” to stem the country’s record surge in cases.

“It’s our job as the government of Austria to protect the people. Therefore, we decided that starting Monday… there will be a lockdown for the unvaccinated.”

Anyone over the age of 12 who has not been double-jabbed is now only be allowed to leave their homes for work, school, exercise and buying essential supplies.

The lockdown affects about two million of Austria’s 8.9 million population. It will last for 10 days before being reviewed.

Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe.

Schallenberg again called for those who have not yet been vaccinated to get their shots. About 65 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated, a rate that the chancellor described as “shamefully low.”

“My aim is very clearly to get the unvaccinated to get themselves vaccinated and not to lock down the vaccinated. 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.

In recent weeks, Austria has faced a worrying rise in infections. Authorities reported 11,552 new cases on Sunday; a week ago there were 8,554 new daily infections.

Police in Austria has begun carrying out routine checks on commuters to ensure compliance. Violators can be fined up to 1,450 euros ($1,660).

However, a long list of exceptions has led critics to warn that the partial lockdown will be difficult to enforce: unvaccinated people will still be able to go to work with a negative test result, do essential shopping and outdoor physical exercise, meet their partner or other select individuals, and “satisfy their basic religious needs”.

Schoolchildren, who are tested regularly, are also exempt from the lockdown.