Austria’s lockdown for the vaccinated will end next week

The lockdown for vaccinated people will end next Monday. (13 December), Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer has announced, but unvaccinated people will still have to comply with lockdown measures.

“It is not a question if, but how,” Nehammer said during a press conference. Nehammer will meet with experts and state governors on Wednesday to discuss the relaxation of COVID restrictions.

While the chancellor emphasised that the “lockdown for the vaccinated will truly end,” he also stressed that it is “crucial that the lockdown measures stay for the unvaccinated.”

Nehammer did not reveal any details on the new regime, saying only that the “FFP2 mask” will play a role in the new measures. Whether an additional PCR test will be necessary to enter bars, restaurants, or hotels is still up for debate.

The announcement marks a departure from Nehammer’s previous rhetoric on the matter. During his inauguration on Monday, Nehammer stressed that he would attempt to bridge the emerging divides in Austrian society on vaccination. “The division is harming us all,” he said.

The decision to introduce mandatory vaccinations has sparked mass protests in numerous cities across Austria. Last Saturday, 40,000 people protested against the measures in the third consecutive weekend of demonstrations.

Nehammer also stated that he wants dialogue with those who refuse to get vaccinated.

“Dialogue must never end,” he said, adding that “the unvaccinated are not excluded from society.”

(Oliver Noyan | EURACTIV.de)