© KEYSTONE/AP/Michael Gruber
Austria will make vaccination once morest the coronavirus compulsory for adults in early February, under penalty of a heavy fine, the Austrian Chancellor said on Sunday, aware of the “sensitive” nature of this first in Europe which divides society.
“As planned, we will make vaccination compulsory at the beginning of February” for those over 18, Karl Nehammer, the conservative head of government, who leads this country with environmentalists, told a press conference in Vienna.
All week, heated debates took place in Parliament concerning this project, while approximately 71.5% of the population has at this stage a complete vaccination schedule.
“It is a sensitive project” but “in accordance with the Constitution”, which requires “an adaptation phase” allowing the recalcitrant to be vaccinated “until mid-March”, he detailed.
27,000 people were still demonstrating on Saturday in the Austrian capital once morest this controversial measure, accused of flouting individual freedoms.
“Afterwards, checks will be carried out” and not being vaccinated will constitute an “offence” liable to financial “penalties” varying between 600 and 3600 euros, in the event of a repeat offense.
All non-vaccinated will receive a summons for the administration of a first injection and those who do not show up will be fined following reminders. The law provides for up to four fines per individual.
The police will be empowered to carry out checks on the public highway.
only adults
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, championed by the new Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz, might be debated in the Bundestag at the end of January.
Similar project in Germany
The Austrian government justifies this measure by the congestion of hospitals linked to the Omicron variant 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 the Chamber: 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 made for pregnant women, people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons and people who have contracted the disease, considered to have the necessary antibodies for 180 days.
On Sunday, according to government figures, 5.8 million of the inhabitants of this central European country which has 7.4 million people eligible for vaccination had an up-to-date vaccination pass.
The law is scheduled to be applied until January 31, 2024 at the latest.
