Austrian lawmakers pass Europe's strictest Covid-19 vaccine mandate

CNN ^ | January 20, 2022 | Tara John, Nadine Schmidt and Claudia Otto

[lowbridge]

Austria's parliament has approved the European Union's strictest Covid-19 vaccine mandate, making it compulsory for the country's residents over the age of 18 to get the shot.

The law goes into effect February 1. However, Austrian officials will only begin conducting checks to see if the mandate is being adhered to from March 15. Starting then, those without a vaccine certificate or an exemption could be slapped with initial fines of 600 euro ($680).

Pregnant people and those who cannot be vaccinated without endangering their health are exempt from the law, according to the Austrian Health Ministry's website. People who are recovering from a Covid-19 infection are also exempt for 180 days from the date they received their first positive PCR Covid-19 test.

The bill passed by a vote of 137-33. Lawmakers debated for more than seven hours in parliament before the vote, in which 13 MPs did not participate.

The Austrian government on Thursday introduced another incentive for people to get vaccinated: A lottery. Austrian citizens will get one lottery ticket for each vaccine shot they have had, meaning three tickets in total for those who have had their booster shots. Every 10th ticket will win a 500 euro ($568) gift voucher, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said.

"To put it bluntly, we have earmarked up to 1 billion euro for the vaccination lottery which is based on reward and incentive,'' Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said at a news conference hours before the vote in parliament. "I believe it's totally justified to spend this money."

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "The case fatality rate in Austria is 0.93%."

Austria as of 21 January 2021 ( 13,956 "official" Covid deaths / 9,006,398 Austrians ) x 100 = 0.155 % over two years.

Less than two-tenths of one percent over two years.

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/austria

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Nicknamed “Operation Angschluss”!!!

[alexander_busek]

The case fatality rate in Austria is 0.93%.

Pull that figure out of your *ss, did you, DoodleBob?

I think that you might be confusing that with the percentage of Austrians who voted against the Anschluß.

Or maybe that was the fatality rate among the inmates of nursing homes, but not of the general populace.

Regards,

[ronnie raygun]

Its over Johnny and soon you will hear from the people

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

-— “The case fatality rate in Austria is 0.93%. Pull that figure out of your *ss, did you, DoodleBob?”

A fine question, given that so many assertions are made as if sourced data. I will watch with you to see if a source is given in response to you question.

Regards from a once-expat.

[ridesthemiles]

Shades of Hitler