IIn Austria, the parliament decided by a large majority on Thursday to introduce compulsory vaccination for adults. 137 of the 170 MEPs voted in favor, 33 spoke out against, 13 MEPs did not take part in the vote. The support for the project came from the coalition factions ÖVP and Greens as well as from the social democratic SPÖ and the liberal Neos. The right-wing FPÖ voted closed against it.
Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) said that compulsory vaccination is not aimed at the current omicron wave of the pandemic, but that it should “use in the next waves against future virus variants”. It is a “forward-looking step”. FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl, on the other hand, spoke of an “assassination attempt on human dignity and freedom”.
Imprisonment is excluded
The obligation to vaccinate should come into force at the beginning of February after the expected approval in the Federal Council. It then applies to all persons over the age of 18 living in the country. Pregnant women, those who have recovered (for 180 days) and people who cannot receive a vaccination for narrowly defined health reasons are excluded.
Vaccination should not be enforced with coercion, but violations can be punished with severe fines. The simple fine is 600 euros, in the case of an objection it can be up to 3600 euros, depending on the financial situation. However, fines should not be imposed until mid-March at the earliest if the police detect a violation of the vaccination requirement as part of their usual tasks (e.g. driving license checks). Even then you can still get rid of the punishment (“active remorse”) by getting a vaccination within two weeks. Imprisonment as a replacement is excluded.
An ongoing evaluation is planned depending on the course of the pandemic. Therefore, the electronic vaccination register that has existed since 2020 should only be used in a possible, not yet dated “third phase”. Then, on semi-annual dates, it can be determined who has not yet complied with the vaccination requirement.
Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer
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Image: dpa
In these cases, reminders would be sent and fines (again 600 or up to 3600 euros) would be imposed by the district authorities in the event of non-compliance. Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) and Health Minister Mückstein had recently expressed the hope that it would not be necessary to allow this third phase to occur. Nehammer did not take part in the National Council debate. Overall, compulsory vaccination is limited to 2024.
Health-related exceptions should be certified by medical officers and entered in the vaccination register. Pregnant women and young people are exempt because the current vaccinations have so far only been given to them “off label”, i.e. without official approval in the EU. Nevertheless, vaccination is also medically recommended and desirable for them, said Mückstein, a former practicing doctor. The minister has some leeway, for example when it comes to deadlines and the necessary intervals and permissible preparations for vaccinations.
The vaccination requirement is to be flanked by financial incentives. The coalition had agreed on this before the vote with the social democratic SPÖ, which had been demanding this for some time. In a vaccination fleet organized by the ORF, consumption vouchers worth 500 euros each should be up for grabs. Everyone who has received a vaccination (also earlier) can get a ticket.