Coronavirus: after Austria, other EU nations eye tough rules for unvaccinated
- Austria locks down unvaccinated as Europe fights fresh Covid-19 wave
- Czech Republic and Germany also considering tougher measures
The Czech Republic and Germany were considering curbs for the unvaccinated, as western Europe once again finds itself at the heart of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Austria’s lockdown means people over 12 who are not vaccinated or cannot show that they have recently recovered from Covid will not be allowed to leave the house except for reasons such as buying essential supplies, exercise or seeking medical care.
Austria has inoculated about 65 per cent of its nine million people, below the EU average of 67 per cent.
But over the past seven days, 128,813 people have received their first dose, up by more than 50,000 from the previous week.
Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said that the “threat scenario” created by the controversial lockdown was already “having an effect”, as more people come forward to get vaccinated.
Latvia, which is also lagging behind on vaccination, similarly brought in tougher curbs for people who are not inoculated on Monday which will mean companies can dismiss employees who refuse the vaccine.
The Czech government was considering several options of stricter rules, ranging from harsh steps to only a mild tightening of measures, according to outgoing Prime Minister Andrej Babis.
Global Covid-19 cases pass 250 million as Europe outbreak worsens
The government will meet again on Thursday to debate new measures as it tries to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, France has reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing and toughened entry requirements from a raft of countries, while a draft German law seen by AFP would reintroduce widespread home working.
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And people wanting to take a train or bus in Germany may soon have to provide a negative Covid-19 test or proof of vaccination or recent recovery.
Some other European countries require passengers to provide proof of vaccination or tests for long-distance travel on public transport. But it is unclear if any others require it for urban transport.
Germany’s vaccination rate, at 67 per cent, is among the lowest in western Europe, which could threaten its relatively strong performance to date in tackling the pandemic.
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So far it has registered around 1,164 deaths per million people from Covid-19 compared to 1,828 on average for the European Union, according to November 14 data from Our World in Data.
In Italy, Covid-19 case numbers are going up, but slower than in other countries in Europe, such as Germany.
As of Monday, around 84 per cent of Italians over the age of 12 had been fully vaccinated, and almost 87 per cent had received at least one jab.
Bloomberg, Agence France-Presse, Reuters
