Austria will introduce mandatory vaccination from 18 years old next month | Abroad

Austria will start checks on the mandatory vaccinations in mid-March. This will also be done through road checks, announced Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein. Anyone who does not have a corona vaccine gets a last chance and otherwise risks a fine of 600 to 3,600 euros.

The law applies to all people domiciled in the country. There are exceptions for pregnant women and people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Anyone who has been cured after an infection is exempt for 180 days.

Parliament is due to pass the law on Thursday, but that counts as a formality because the conservative ÖVP and the Green party have a majority. In the opposition, only the right-wing populist FPÖ is categorically against. Critics of the law say vaccines are made mandatory, even though they do not sufficiently prevent infection.

“This is not a battle of vaccinated people against unvaccinated people,” said Chancellor Nehammer. According to him, the law will be introduced to ensure that society can live in freedom again. Nehammer contracted corona himself this month. He said he recovered quickly and did not end up in hospital thanks to the injection.

Last week there was a debate in parliament about the mandatory corona jab. Moreover, the plans divide society. Yesterday, 27,000 people marched through the streets of Vienna in protest against the measure. According to a vaccination counter on the website of the broadcaster ÖRF, 71.6 percent of the population has been vaccinated and about 75 percent has received at least one shot. At least 45.6 percent of the population has already received a booster.

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