Vienna, Jan. 16 (BNA): Compulsory vaccination against the Corona virus is scheduled to enter into force in Austria from the beginning of February, according to a bill unveiled by the government in Vienna on Sunday.
The mandate applies to everyone aged 18 or over, as opposed to people aged 14 or over, as originally planned. Health Minister Wolfgang Mochstein said random checks of residents would start in mid-March, including traffic stops.
Those who refuse to be vaccinated will be fined between 600 and 3,600 euros ($685 and $4,165) after being given a last chance to be vaccinated, the German news agency dpa said.
The law applies to all residents of Austria, except for pregnant women and anyone who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Anyone who has recovered from the coronavirus gets a 180-day exemption.
Austria’s parliament is expected to pass the law on Thursday, in a vote largely seen as a formality due to the ruling coalition of the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Greens having the simple majority needed.
Chancellor Karl Nahammer said the new law is not a battle between vaccinated and unvaccinated people, but rather a battle for the entire community to live freely again.
Niemer himself tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, but said that because of his vaccine he had always felt confident he wouldn’t need to be hospitalized.
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