BERLIN — Austria on Friday said it would reimpose a national lockdown from Monday and introduce a vaccine mandate for all residents early next year as the country battles a surge in coronavirus cases.
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said that everyone would be required to be vaccinated from coronavirus from February, making Austria the first country in Europe to introduce compulsory vaccination for all.
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Schallenberg said that it was not an “easy decision” but it was based on infection levels and “to protect all of us.” He said that it was an “enormous” thing to ask of the vaccinated population, but that too many people had “showed a lack of solidarity.”
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On Monday, the country had introduced measures that covered the unvaccinated, meaning they were banned from leaving home except for essential reasons such as getting groceries or going to the pharmacy. Those restrictions will now be extended to everyone. Nonessential shops and businesses will be forced to close.
The earlier lockdown on the unvaccinated had helped drive up vaccination rates, but not as much as hoped, Schallenberg said. The restrictions will be reevaluated after 10 days.
Denise Hruby in Vienna contributed.