According to the news sources, around two million of the population in Austria is unvaccinated against Covid-19 which is why a lockdown has been imposed in the country since an upsurge is observed in Covid-19 cases.
“We are not taking this step lightly, but unfortunately it is necessary,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said.
Unvaccinated people are only permitted to leave their homes for a limited number of reasons, like grocery, medical urgency or buying food.
Around 65% of Austria’s population is now fully vaccinated which is the lowest rate in the Western Europe. However, the seven-day rate of infection is more than 800 cases per 100,000 people, which is the highest rate in the region.
All in all, Europe has again become the most seriously affected country by the pandemic and among those several countries which have introduced warnings and restrictions of rising cases.
On the other hand, the UK has the highest number of Covid infection rates which are likely to reintroduce lockdown, and restrictions despite the health experts are constantly urging everyone for mandatory masks in crowded places.
The lockdown initiated in the country is likely to last for 10 days. A large number of people protested outside the chancellery in the capital, Vienna where they hold banners that read, “Our bodies, our freedom to decide.”
One female protester said she was demonstrating “to fight for my rights”. “It is totally discriminatory what is happening here,” she said.
“It’s already projected that within two weeks we’ll have reached the limit,” she added.
The unvaccinated people were already prohibited from visiting restaurants, cinemas, and hairdressers, but they will now be expected to stay at home.
“In reality, we have told one-third of the population: you will not leave your [home] apart for certain reasons,” Mr. Schallenberg said.
“That is a massive reduction in contacts between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.”
The vaccination rates are quite lower in some of the European countries. For instance, Latvia has 59% of the population completely vaccinated, but still, they imposed lockdown and barred lawmakers from refusing the vaccine mandate.
