Austria is poised to impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for adults after a provision cleared the nation’s lower house of parliament Thursday, setting the stage for what could be the strictest vaccine requirements in Europe.
If the bill becomes law, as expected, people who fail to comply with the mandate and do not receive exemptions will face initial fines of up to 600 euros, possibly facing up to 3,600 euros if failure to comply continues, Reuters reported. Authorities would not begin checking vaccine compliance until March 15 under the legislation’s provisions.
“This is how we can manage to escape the cycle of opening and closing, of lockdowns,” said Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein, according to the Associated Press. “That is why this law is so urgently needed right now.”
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The bill passed the National Council 137-33. Now it must pass the Federal Council and be signed into law by President Alexander Van der Bellen to go into effect, with both considered formalities, Reuters reported.
The proposal, which would apply to all adults, grants exemptions to people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past six months, have medical conditions, or are pregnant. Police will check people’s vaccination statuses during routine stops and issue fines to individuals who fail to prove they got vaccinated. Unvaccinated individuals would be permitted to have fines waived if they get the vaccine within two weeks of receiving the penalty, CNN reported.
The bill also authorizes the government to send reminders to unvaccinated people and schedule appointments for them. If they fail to follow through on their appointment, they will be fined, reports said. Unvaccinated individuals could face up to 3,600 euros in fines if they unsuccessfully contest their fine. If they successfully prove they were vaccinated and wrongly fined, they will no longer be subject to the fine.
As Austria becomes the first modern nation to mandate the jab, Austrians gather to protest this weekend. pic.twitter.com/gUjKgbHNah
— Aaron Ginn (@aginnt) January 20, 2022
The proposal attracted criticism from some, with protests breaking out shortly after the chamber passed the measure.
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Austria, which has about 9 million people, is currently experiencing its strongest wave of COVID-19 cases. It reached a record 27,677 daily positive cases Wednesday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. An estimated 75.22% of the population is fully vaccinated.
In addition to the vaccine mandate, the National Council also approved a lottery system for people who get the vaccine. Winners in the lottery system could get 500 euros for restaurants, hotels, and other amenities, Time Magazine reported. Municipalities will receive additional funding if they reach higher vaccination rates.
