Source: CNA
A fine of up to 600 euros every three months will be imposed on those who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 from February 1, 2022, according to a draft law prepared by the Austrian government.
Exceptions - according to Austrian public television ÖRF - will be provided for those under 14 years of age, pregnant, recovering from Covid-19 up to six months after a positive test and those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons.
The number of cases has dropped in the last two weeks, but numbers remain high. On Sunday, 5,192 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 were recorded.
Fines can reach up to 3,600 euros per dose of vaccine, should the person make an appointment but not show up.
From 15 February all non-vaccinated residents of Austria will be invited to be vaccinated on specific dates and from 15 March fines will be imposed. A period of 14-42 days will be allowed between the 1st and 2nd dose, while the 3rd dose should be administered 120-270 days after the 2nd. Meanwhile, 28,423 vaccination certificates have now been invalidated in Austria (expired), as their validity was originally set at 360 days, but has now been reduced to 270 days.
Austria has been in a global lockdown since mid-November, scheduled to last until Sunday 12 December.
The country's ski resorts are currently open only for vaccinated and sick people, but no one can stay overnight in a hotel or visit a restaurant.
At the end of the week, the federation and the states will have to agree on lifting restrictions and the measures they will follow moving forward. According to the Austrian newspaper Der Standard, even after the end of the lockdown, not all sectors are expected to function equally.
"It is not possible to unlock everything in one night," warned Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens).
The state of Upper Austria has already announced that it will extend the duration of the lockdown by at least a week, while the Prime Minister of Styria Herman Sutzenhofer told the Kleine Zeitung that strict rules may be applied to the retail trade and was very concerned about the operation of restaurants and catering establishments.
The number of cases has dropped in the last two weeks, but numbers remain high. On Sunday, 5,192 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 were recorded. 3,029 patients with Covid-19 are being treated in hospitals, 651 in Intensive Care Units.
