Austria Announces Country-Wide Vaccine Mandate, And Another Lockdown

Austria is headed into another national lockdown starting Monday that will last for at least 10 days as it announces plans to mandate COVID-19 vaccination starting in February.

As reported by The Guardian:

The age from which people will be required to be vaccinated has not yet been determined, the government said.

Those refusing to be vaccinated are likely to face administrative fines, which can be converted into a prison sentence if the fine cannot be recovered.

“For a long time the consensus in this country was that we don’t want a vaccine mandate,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said. “In spite of months of persuasion, we have not managed to convince enough people to be vaccinated.”

CNN reported:

Asked by CNN from what age the mandatory vaccination order would apply, the Austrian Chancellory said: “Details are still to come, from what age and when you are considered fully vaccinated.”

Austrian Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein said Friday that schools and kindergartens would remain open during the upcoming national lockdown.

According to data from Worldometers, as of November 18th, Austria’s seven-day moving average of deaths from COVID-19 are 43. The country has seen 11,903 deaths as of November 18 over the course of the pandemic, and it has had over 1 million cases.

Earlier this week, the country stated that it was going to be placing a lockdown on those who had not received the vaccine.

“We are not taking this step lightly, but unfortunately it is necessary,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said at the time.

The BBC reported at the time, “Unvaccinated people will only be allowed to leave home for limited reasons, like working or buying food. About 65% of Austria’s population is fully vaccinated – one of the lowest rates in Western Europe.”

As The New York Times reported:

Many European countries have already instituted mandates in all but name only — requiring strict health passes as proof of vaccination, recovery from infection or a negative test to partake in most social functions, travel or to go to work. Many already require children to be vaccinated against measles and other illnesses to attend school.

The notion of requiring vaccination in adults against Covid was a line that Europe had seemed unwilling to cross, however, with leaders often contrasting their respect for civil liberties with authoritarian-styled countries.

Vaccine mandates have been an intense topic of discussion in America over the past several months as well.

This week, the Biden administration announced it would be suspending its mandate forcing private

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