Austria's compulsory vaccination law will come into force next week - those who are not vaccinated face severe penalties
Created: 2022-02-05Updated: 2022-02-05 13:16
By: Franziska Schwarz
Chancellor Karl Nehammer during a press conference in Vienna.
© Hans Punz/APA/dpa
In Austria, the corona vaccination requirement has cleared another hurdle.
Now everything goes very quickly.
However, the peak of the omicron wave is yet to come and the subtype BA.2.
The news ticker.
In Austria, the compulsory vaccination law is expected to come into force next week.
According to experts, the peak of the omicron wave will soon be reached.
But the new omicron subvariant BA.2.
creates extreme uncertainty.
This news ticker about Corona in Austria is updated regularly.
Update from February 4, 12:09 p.m
.: The compulsory vaccination in Austria is expected to come into force as early as next week.
The Federal Council voted on Thursday evening with a clear majority for the vaccination law.
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen has yet to sign the mandatory vaccination law.
With the publication, Austria is the first country in the EU to make vaccination compulsory for all adults.
Nobody is forced to be vaccinated, but the vaccination status will be checked by the police from March 15th.
The penalties for the unvaccinated are severe.
Compulsory vaccinations in Austria - This applies from February 2022
The vaccination obligation applies to all persons over the age of 18 residing in Austria.
You must then show a valid vaccination status.
After the end of the initial phase on March 15th, there will be random checks by the police.
Anyone who refuses to be vaccinated faces fines of between 600 and 3,600 euros.
There should be exceptions for pregnant women and people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
Compulsory vaccination protects against further corona waves
Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) described the compulsory vaccination as a “foresighted” and “particularly sustainable” measure.
He explained that this would not break the omicron wave immediately.
However, the obligation to vaccinate protects against further corona waves and new virus variants.
The draft law was passed with the votes of the governing parties ÖVP and Greens, the liberal Neos and most of the social democratic SPÖ.
In the past 24 hours, 36,329 new coronavirus infections and 25 deaths have been recorded in Austria, the Ministry of Health and the Interior Ministry announced on Friday.
The incidence is 2,597.2 (as of February 3, 2 p.m.).
Corona turnaround in Austria: According to the expert council, the Omikron peak will soon be reached - only one factor is worrying
First report from February 3, 2022
Vienna – Experts in Austria assume that the peak of the current corona wave in the country will be reached this week.
The COVID Prognosis Consortium writes in its latest report from February 1st that the daily new infections are expected to level off at around 33,000 by the weekend.
The 7-day incidence should then be between 2,100 and 3,400 by the middle of next week, they say.
At that time, the experts expect between 181 and 241 patients in the intensive care units and between 1400 and 1800 patients to be treated in normal wards.
According to oe24.a
t, 185 Covid 19 patients are in intensive care
this Wednesday .
Skiers in Austria © Barbara Gindl/dpa
Corona in Austria: Omicron subtype as an uncertainty factor
The experts assume a decrease in the virulence of the omicron variant compared to the delta variant by 90 percent in intensive care and 70 percent in normal care.
The reason is the proportion of double vaccinated people in the population.
A factor of uncertainty is the omicron subtype BA.2, which is dominant in Austria.
Because of the relatively new corona variant, a new increase in the numbers cannot be ruled out.
But more information about the newly discovered sub-variant is needed.
"Due to the influence of the more contagious and immune-vasive omicron subtype BA.2, a renewed increase in cases driven by this variant within the next few weeks cannot be ruled out," the report says.
More precise data and modeling of the mutation are therefore necessary.
Corona measures in Austria: lockdown for the unvaccinated ends
In Austria, the corona lockdown for unvaccinated people ended this Monday.
Since mid-November, all residents over the age of twelve have been allowed to leave their homes without proof of their vaccination or recovery only for grocery shopping, work or training, doctor visits and physical recreation.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) justified the end of the exit restrictions by saying that the hospitals are not overloaded despite the persistently high number of infections.
Nehammer announced further easing.
From next Saturday, restaurants may remain open until midnight.
After that, proof of vaccination or recovery in trade, gastronomy and tourism is gradually eliminated.
However, at least negative corona tests are required for restaurant or hotel visits.
Next Friday, Austria will also introduce general vaccination requirements for adults.
(frs)
