Unvaccinated Austrians put under lockdown

Police to carry out spot checks as chancellor brings in strict curbs for ‘ditherers’ who have not had jabs

AUSTRIA yesterday became the first country in Europe to impose a lockdown on those who refuse to be vaccinated against Covid.

Restrictions are being reimposed across the Continent in the face of rapidly rising infections, and several countries have moved to limit the freedoms of the unvaccinated. But Austria is the first to place them under a strict lockdown similar to those seen last winter, while those who have been vaccinated remain free to lead normal lives.

“I don’t see why two thirds should lose their freedom because one third is dithering,” said Alexander Schallenberg, the Austrian chancellor.

“It’s clear to me the vaccinated should not face a lockdown out of solidarity for the unvaccinated.”

Austria, a country of 10million people, recorded 11,798 cases of the virus in 24 hours yesterday and has a 7-day incidence of 779 per 100,000 inhabitants. The country lags far behind most of Europe on vaccinations. There is a large anti-vaxxer movement and only 64 per cent of Austrians are fully jabbed.

“Before Covid, fundamental rights were unconditional,” said Markus, a 40-year-old anti-vaxxer and tour guide who declined to give his last name.

“Now we are getting more and more into a point where fundamental rights become conditional.”

Michael, an unemployed 61-year-old anti-vaxxer from Burgenland, added: “I cannot approve of the division of society into two parts. It is certainly not good for the country. It will have consequences. I am firmly convinced of that.”

Under the new rules, the unvaccinated are only allowed to leave their homes for essential reasons such as work, to shop for food or take exercise, while the vaccinated will be free to move around. Police will carry out spot checks.

Bars and restaurants already require visitors to present proof of vaccination to enter. The lockdown will apply in the regions of Upper Austria and Salzburg, but Mr Schallenberg said there was a “green light” for it to be extended to the entire country as soon as Monday. In Upper Austria, the worst-affected region, restaurants will not be allowed to open at night for the next three weeks.

Ten countries in the European Union are now areas of “high concern” over the virus, the European Centre for Disease Control warned yesterday. They include the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic and Greece.

Boris Johnson said yesterday that the “storm clouds” of a new Covid wave were gathering over Europe. “We have been here before and we remember what happens when a wave starts rolling in.”

The Netherlands is to go into three weeks of partial lockdown from today, with bars, restaurants and non-essential shops closed from 7pm, a workfrom-home mandate, and limits to receiving just four guests at home. The Dutch government took action after the country saw a new record for daily infections on Thursday, with 16,364.

In Germany, several regions this week imposed tougher new rules limiting access to restaurants, bars, cinemas and gyms to the vaccinated and those who have recovered from the virus.

Europe is facing a similar wave to the one recently experienced in Britain, experts said. “It is likely many European countries are coming to the point where the UK was a few months back, in terms of some waning of immunity,” said Dr Michael Head, of the University of Southampton.

‘It’s clear to me that the vaccinated should not face a lockdown out of solidarity for the unvaccinated’