Austria will make compulsory, at the beginning of February, vaccination against Covid-19 for adults, under penalty of a heavy fine.
The confirmation was made this Sunday by the Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, aware of the “sensitive” nature of this first in Europe and which divides society.
“As planned, we will make vaccination compulsory at the beginning of February” for those over 18, said in Vienna, the capital, the conservative head of government, who leads this country with environmentalists.
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All week, heated debates took place in Parliament concerning this project, while approximately 78.5% of the eligible population has at this stage a complete vaccination schedule.
“It is a sensitive project”, but “in accordance with the Constitution”, which requires “a phase of adaptation” allowing the recalcitrant to be vaccinated “until mid-March”, he detailed.
Few countries make this choice for the moment
27,000 people demonstrated in Vienna on Saturday against this controversial measure, accused of violating individual freedoms.
“Afterwards, checks will be carried out” and not being vaccinated will constitute an “offence” liable to financial “penalties” varying between 600 euros and 3600 euros, in the event of a repeat offence.
A time considered, the vaccination of minors over the age of 14 has been abandoned and only adults will be concerned, said the leader by presenting the bill, which must be adopted Thursday by Parliament.
The vaccination pass is required in a growing number of countries for certain professions, population categories or the practice of activities.
But the compulsory anti-Covid vaccination for all remains an exception.
It entered into force in Ecuador, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Indonesia and Micronesia.
In Germany, a similar project, defended by the new Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz, could be debated in the Bundestag, the German parliament, at the end of January.
Only the extreme right will vote against
The Austrian government justifies this rare measure by the overcrowding of hospitals and its desire to achieve a vaccination rate of 90%, allowing, according to the advice of its experts, to achieve collective immunity.
It has a large majority: in addition to the Conservatives and the Greens, the leaders of the Social Democratic and Liberal parties support the text.
Only the extreme right is opposed to it, in the name of the protection of individual freedoms.
Exceptions are provided for pregnant women and all persons who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
The entry of these exceptions in the national register of vaccinations will only be possible from April at the earliest, warned the body responsible for this collection.
This Sunday, according to government figures, 5.8 million inhabitants of this Central European country, which has 7.4 million people eligible for vaccination, have an up-to-date vaccination pass.
