The Austrian Government presented this Sunday the project that provides for compulsory vaccination against the coronavirus for people over 18 years of age from February 1, making it the first EU country to adopt a similar measure.
The main novelty is that raises the mandatory vaccination age from 14 to 18 years, first of the minor changes that the text could undergo to achieve greater support in Parliament, reports the Austrian public television, ORT. The vote is scheduled for next Thursday.
after approval controls are expected to be installed on streets and highways to check if citizens are vaccinated with reference to the National Vaccination Registry, which already exists.
The text provides exceptions to vaccination such as the case of pregnant women or people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Those who have tested positive and overcome the disease They have an extended term of six months.
In the first phase, from February 1 to March 15, the rule does not provide sanctions for those not vaccinated. Since then, fines of between 600 and 3,600 euros could be imposed. The law does not include prison sentences. A possible third phase includes, if necessary, the appointment of mandatory appointments for vaccination.
The plan was presented by the chancellor, Karl Nehammer, together with the minister for the EU, Karoline Edtstadler; and the Minister of Health, Wolfgang Mueckstein. Nehammer explained that he hopes to have the votes of the government coalition – Popular Party and The Greens – and also with the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) and the liberal Neos party. The far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) remains anti-vaccine.
“This is not a fight between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated,” but of the “common good”, of “preserving freedom” has argued Prime Minister Nehammer, who has recalled that he himself was infected, but thanks to vaccination “I always had the confidence that I would not have to enter a hospital”.
Austria is one of the EU countries with a lower vaccination rate. On Saturday, some 27,000 people demonstrated in Vienna against vaccination in an FPO-backed event that featured Nazi salutes. There were several arrests for making the Nazi salute and for not wearing a mask.
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