Austria Becomes First EU Nation to Make COVID Vaccination Mandatory

You are viewing content from Ireland's Classic Hits Radio Galway. Would you like to make this your preferred location?

Austria has become the first nation in the EU to make COVID vaccines mandatory for its citizens.

The country joins Ecuador, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Indonesia and Micronesia in taking such a measure.

Save for pregnant women, those with medical exemptions and those who have contracted the virus within the past 180 days, all adults in the country must get vaccinated by mid-March or face a fine of up to $3,600. The fine can be avoided by getting vaccinated within two weeks of notification.

Following approval by parliament, the law was signed by President Alexander Van der Bellen yesterday and comes into force today.

The Austrian government announced the measure back in November, leading to mass protests in the weeks since.

69% of Austrians are fully vaccinated. The country has recorded over 14,000 deaths and two million cases of COVID among its nine million population.

As with the rest of Europe, Austria has seen cases rise amid the Omicron wave, but hospitalisations have not risen significantly.

The law was backed by all of Austria's political parties except for the far right party.

"No other country in Europe is following us on compulsory vaccines," said Manuel Krautgartner, an opponent of the measures.

A recent survey found 60% of Austrians support the controversial measure.
 

More from Dublin News

  • A New Prescription for Irish Healthcare: How Dooctor.ie & Medel Are Changing the Game

    For many in Ireland, accessing healthcare can feel like navigating an obstacle course—long wait times, packed waiting rooms, and the ever-present uncertainty of whether you'll actually get seen when you need to. It’s a system that often prioritises process over people. But Dooctor.ie and Medel are offering an alternative, one that combines speed, affordability, and flexibility to ensure healthcare is available when and where it's needed.

  • Brand New Night Club To Open In Dublin This Weekend

    Dublin's latest Rooftop Bar, Hyde has launched its new 'SEEK' nightclub, which opens its doors for the first time this weekend.