At the beginning of February, Austria will make compulsory for adults, vaccination against the coronavirus, under penalty of a heavy fine, said this Sunday the Austrian Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, aware of the “sensitive” nature of this first in Europe which divides society.
“As planned, we are going to make vaccination compulsory at the beginning of February” for those over 18, the conservative head of government, who leads this country with environmentalists, said in Vienna at a press conference. All week, heated debates took place in Parliament concerning this project, while approximately 78.5% of the eligible population has at this stage a complete vaccination schedule.
An “adaptation” phase until mid-March
“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 against 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 3,600 euros, in the event of a repeat offense. 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.
A first in Europe
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, could be debated in the Bundestag at the end of January.
The Austrian government justifies this rare measure by the overcrowding of hospitals 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.
Some exceptions
Exceptions are provided for pregnant women and all persons who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. The entry of these exceptions in the national register of vaccinations will only be possible from April at the earliest, warned the body responsible for this collection.
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.