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Austria’s no-vaccination lockdown begins amid COVID resurgence

BERLIN – Austria took what its leader called an “impressive” step on Monday of implementing a nationwide embargo on unvaccinated people who have not recently had COVID-19 , perhaps the most drastic of a series of measures taken by European governments to get a major regional resurgence of the coronavirus under control.

The move, which goes into effect at midnight, prohibits people 12 years of age and older who have not been vaccinated or have recently recovered from the illness from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as going to work, shopping, school or college. study or go for a walk – – or get vaccinated.

The initial lockdown is in place until November 24 in the Alpine nation of 8.9 million people. It does not apply to children under 12 as they cannot yet be officially vaccinated – although the capital Vienna, on Monday, opened its doors to vaccinations for children under 12 as part of a pilot project and high demand reports.

Officials say police patrols will be stepped up and those who are not vaccinated could be fined up to 1,450 euros ($1,660) if they violate the ban.

Prime Minister Alexander Schallenberg told Oe1 radio: “We really didn’t take this step lightly and I don’t think it should be downplayed. “This is an impressive step forward – about 2 million people in this country are affected. … What we are trying to do exactly is minimize contact between people who have not been vaccinated and who have been vaccinated. vaccination, and contact between unvaccinated people.”

Schallenberg added: “My aim was very clear to make it possible for unvaccinated people to immunize themselves, not lock the vaccinated. “In the long run, the way out of this vicious cycle that we’re in – and it’s a vicious cycle, we’re stumbling from wave to wave of lockdown, and that can’t continue with advertising – just vaccinations.”

About 65% of the population is fully vaccinated, a rate that Schallenberg describes as “disgustingly low.” All students in schools, vaccinated or not, are required to take three tests per week, at least one of which is a PCR test.

Authorities are concerned about rising infections and increasing pressure on hospitals. Austria on Sunday recorded 849.2 new cases per 100,000 residents in the previous seven days. Its situation is far worse than neighboring Germany, where the case rate on Monday hit the latest in a record streak, with 303 new cases per 100,000 residents in seven days.

Berlin on Monday became the latest of several German states to restrict access to restaurants, cinemas, museums and concerts to people who have been vaccinated or recently recovered – exclude unvaccinated people who test negative. Persons under the age of 18 are exempt.

On Thursday, the German Parliament will vote on a new legal framework for coronavirus restrictions put forward by the parties expected to form the country’s next government. Those plans are said to be being beefed up to allow for tougher contact restrictions than initially envisioned.

The three parties alone – who hope to take office early next month – are also likely to roll out the vaccine mandate in some areas, a step officials have so far not taken.

“We’re going to need mandatory vaccinations … in nursing homes, in day care centers, etc,” said Greens parliamentary group leader Katrin Goering-Eckardt. “We’ll take care of that.”

Germany has struggled to give new impetus to its vaccination campaign, with just over two-thirds of its population fully vaccinated and trying to ramp up booster shots.

Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel made a new call on Saturday to withhold vaccines. “Think about it again,” she said. Last week, the country’s center for disease control urged people to cancel or avoid major events.

In western Germany, the Netherlands on Saturday night implemented a partial lockdown that will last at least three weeks, forcing bars and restaurants to close at 8 p.m. In the northern city of Leeuwarden, Hundreds of young people gathered in a central square, lighting flares and holding flares, before riot police moved in to push protesters out.

In Austria, the leader of the far-right opposition Liberal Party vowed to fight the new restrictions with “all parliamentary and legal means at our disposal.” Herbert Kickl said in a statement that “2 million people are in fact being jailed for doing nothing wrong.”

On Monday, Kickl announced on Facebook that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and must self-isolate for 14 days, so he will not be able to attend a rally in Vienna. scheduled for Saturday.

The government’s next move may be to tighten the screws.

Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein told ORF television he wanted to discuss the measures further on Wednesday and said that one proposal on the table was that a limit on going out at night would also apply to people who have already died. vaccinated.

Schallenberg seems more cautious. “I wouldn’t rule out honing these measures, of course, but he pointed out that at the moment he doesn’t expect restrictions on bars and the like,” he said.

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