Austria Enforces COVID-19 Lockdown in Response to Spiking Cases

James Lin

Starting Monday, November 15th, 2021, Austria’s new lockdown plan will be in full effect. Returning to procedures prior to vaccines, Austria is seeing infection rates reflecting that of the earlier days of the virus—exceeding most European countries. Those affected by the new measures, mostly unvaccinated citizens, are furious with the new harsh restrictions, placing bans on public areas such as restaurants and hair salons—only allowing the unvaccinated to leave their homes for work and shopping.

 

What is responsible for the sudden rise in cases?

 

Facing record numbers of daily cases, an important question is raised by the country of Austria: who is to blame for the unexpected spike in recorded cases? The simplest answer would be the entirety of Austria as a whole, with over a third of the population unvaccinated—showing to be one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe. 

 

What is next for Austria?

 

To further reinforce the urgency of lockdown, vaccination checks by the police are permitted for all individuals entering a public enclosure at all times, resulting in a fine if found guilty. However, Austrian officials claim the efficiency of the lockdown will be aided by the targeting of only a portion of the population—being the unvaccinated exclusively. As of now, only the future holds Austria’s success in holding down the virus.