Several Weeks behind Bars: Harsh Penalties mulled for those Resisting Compulsory Vaccination in Austria
by Russia Today
Those resisting vaccination in Austria might soon face stiff punishments, according to a leaked draft of the so-called Covid-19 Vaccination Protection Act seen by the Austrian Die Presse daily. If passed, the legislation, which is set to take effect in February, would apply both to the Alpine nation’s citizens and its permanent residents.
Under the bill, anyone who refused to attend a scheduled vaccination appointment would receive an official summons from local authorities. If an individual failed to show up, they would then be summoned one more time within the next four weeks.
Should the second official request be ignored as well, the person would face a fine of €3,600 ($4,061) or four weeks in prison. The fine would increase to €7,200 ($8,000) for those who had already been fined twice for violating the vaccination requirement.
Austria Becomes World’s First Country to Impose COVID-19 Lockdown on Unvaccinated
Exceptions are only allowed for those who cannot get a jab due to “a danger to life or health” as well as pregnant women and children up to the age of 12. The bill further says that booster shots would be compulsory. The Health Ministry is tasked with regulating intervals between vaccinations and possible vaccine combinations, according to the draft.
The government would also decide who was considered “vaccinated” and whether people who have recovered from Covid-19 should be counted as “vaccinated” as well. Still, no one would be “forcibly brought” to a vaccination center or made to get a jab against their will, Die Presse reported.
The text of the bill, which will be discussed at the chancellor’s office on Tuesday, might still change, the Austrian media notes. If passed, the legislation is reportedly expected to stay in force for at least three years.
Time to consider mandatory jabs in Europe, WHO official says
Robb Butler told Sky News on Wednesday that it was “time to have that conversation from both an individual and a population-based perspective. It’s a healthy debate to have.” The WHO official said, however, that such “mandates have come at the expense of trust, social inclusion” in the past.
In early November, the WHO warned that Europe was “at the epicenter” of the Covid-19 pandemic, while earlier this week, the global health authority said the continent accounted for 60% of the world’s Covid-19 infections and deaths in the last week. The WHO believes the pandemic’s death toll in Europe could reach 2 million by March 2022, if the spread of the virus continues unchecked.
However, the former director of the WHO’s Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Department, Anthony Costello, advised governments to tread carefully on making vaccination mandatory for fear of “repelling a lot of people who lack trust in government and vaccines.” Instead of mandates and sweeping lockdowns, he advocated for measures like mask-wearing and working from home.
Across Europe, only 57% of people are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to statistics provided by the Our World in Data website. Last Friday, the Austrian chancellor, Alexander Schallenberg, announced vaccination would be mandatory for all residents bar those eligible for a medical exemption starting from February 1, 2022. Those refusing the shot could expect hefty fines, according to media reports.
However, there has not yet been a decision on the exact age from which Austrians will be required to get inoculated. Austria is the first country in Europe to impose the sweeping mandates, with most other nations on the continent so far making vaccination mandatory for certain employees only, with healthcare and public workers being first in line.
However, there are a handful of countries further afield which have also mandated Covid-19 inoculation for all their citizens. Indonesia took the step in February, and Micronesia and Turkmenistan followed suit in the summer.
Originally published by Russia Today
Note: all links to Gospa News articles has been added by Gospa News editorial staff
