Is the Austrian COVID lock down for unvaccinated residents fair on them? Or should we rather focus on the benefit for the broader community? Sky News posted the mandate affects 2 million out of 9 million people on November 15, 2021. Or to put the number the other way around, potentially benefits 7 million members of the Austrian community.
The Rationale Behind the Austrian COVID Lock Down
Sky News explains the Austrian government wants to slow the fast spread of coronavirus in the country. The lock down will last 10 days, during which time:
1… Anyone over the age of 12 without a full vaccine will have to limit their movements.
2… They may only leave home for work, school, exercise, and fetching essential supplies.
Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe. It has a daily infection rate of 775.5 per 100,000 people, adding to 22,000 current active cases. These have potential to overwhelm hospitals that kept the death rate down to 1.65% thus far. The government is hoping the Austrian COVID lockdown will encourage more residents to vaccinate.
It Is Our Government’s Job to Protect the People
Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg addressed a media conference on November 14, 2021. ‘It’s our job as government of Austria to protect the people,’ he stressed. ’Therefore we decided that starting Monday… there will be a lockdown for the unvaccinated.’
‘The daily infection rate for the unvaccinated is at over 1,700’ he explained. While for the vaccinated it is at a low 383,’ he added. Therefore, he is instructing police to monitor the situation, and fine offenders € 1,450 (US$ 1,665) for breaking rules.
These measures should reduce the number of people with new COVID infections entering the population, and potentially spreading the virus to other Austrians. From where we sit, the measures appear fair. Especially since vaccination is free in Austria, and the vaccines are exponentially safer, and more effective than refusing them.
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Preview Image: Austria Daily Confirmed Cases
