COVID: Austria announces lockdown and vaccine mandate

Vienna, Nov 20: Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced a full lockdown in Austria at a press conference Friday. In order to curb the latest rise in infections, Austria’s nine federal states agreed to impose nationwide restrictions starting Monday. They are meeting with Schallenberg and Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein in Tyrol in the western part of the country.
The Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported before the press conference the restrictions are to apply for 10 days. Austria is currently experiencing a severe fourth wave of the pandemic with the seven-day incidence over new cases per 100,000 inhabitants stands around 1,000 according to current data. Around two-thirds of Austria’s population is fully vaccinated which is among the lowest rates in western Europe.