Austria has imposed a general vaccination requirement in the fight against the corona pandemic.
Refusals soon face high penalties.
Vienna - "This decision is not easy for us", with these words Austria's Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced a new lockdown and a general vaccination requirement in Austria.
You have to take this measure, "as too many have shown unsolidarity," continues Schallenberg.
Corona vaccination obligation in Austria: law will probably come
Austria is the first country in Europe to issue such tough rules in view of the latest corona wave.
The vaccination rate is currently just under 66 percent, which is below the EU average.
The compulsory vaccination is based on a new law that has yet to pass through parliament.
But here approval is considered certain.
From a legal point of view, there will also be a compulsory vaccination, according to experts: "That is permissible, the European Court of Human Rights decided that," said constitutional
expert
Heinz Mayer to
oe24
.
If the law comes into force, everyone in Austria must be vaccinated against Corona from February 1st.
The only exceptions are people who cannot be vaccinated against the virus for medical reasons.
Corona vaccination obligation in Austria - horrific penalties threaten
Anyone who breaks the law can face high penalties.
According to information from
oe24,
vaccination
refusals
face fines of up to 3,600 euros.
Anyone who does not pay this penalty must therefore even be imprisoned for up to four weeks.
Refusals of a booster vaccination still face fines of up to 1,450 euros.
According to the report, at the beginning there should be a transition period during which violations are not punished with full severity.
According to this, unvaccinated people should be asked to vaccinate themselves by post from February.
If you do not comply with this, the penalty notice can be sent by post.
(rjs)