Veinna : , Nov 19 : .Austria announced Friday that a complete Covid-19 national lockdown will be in place starting next week, just a week after it imposed a lockdown for the unvaccinated.Austria was the first European Union country to adopt such measures in response to the Covid-19 revival.It has made mandatory vaccinations effective from February 1, Euronews reported.
The new measures, announced Friday morning by Alexander Schallenberg, will be in effect for 10 days beginning Monday.Many stores and cultural events will be closed.
Schallenberg said at a news conference, “We must look reality in its face.”
We don’t want another wave.According to ORF, the Chancellor stated that neither a sixth nor seventh wave is what they want.
The effects of the Covid case will be evaluated after 10 days.If the cases do not drop enough, then the lockdown may be extended up to 20 days.
Austria’s Health Minister said that schools will remain open to those who require them, however, all parents are asked to leave their children home as much as possible.
This lockdown is necessary because Covid infection rates have risen in Austria over recent weeks.The daily case number has trebled since November and reached over 15,000 by Thursday.
The latest data shows that the rate of incidence was 997.7 cases per 100,000 persons in the week prior.Health Minister Wolfgang Mackstein stated that a lockdown would be the best option.
This year, the country has had its highest per-capita infection rate.
According to the report, hospitals have become overwhelmed by Covid patients and death rates have increased again.
Vienna announced last Monday that a national lockdown was in place for approximately two million people who are not vaccinated.People aged 12 and over were prohibited from leaving the house except for their essential activities, such as working, going to classes or shopping.
65% of people in the country are fully protected against Covid-19, which is one of lowest levels across Western Europe.
The World Health Organization (WHO), earlier this month warned that Covid cases in Europe and Central Asia continue to rise, so the region is likely to experience an additional 500,000 deaths by February 1.
Hans Kluge is the European Director of WHO.He attributed the higher risk to lower mask usage, vaccine hesitancy, and the spread of the transmissible Delta variant.
According to the BBC, many other European countries also plan to tighten their borders in response to an increase in cases.
Eduard Heger, Slovakia’s Prime Minister has declared a “lockdown” for unvaccinated people starting Monday.On Wednesday, the country reported an unprecedented 8,342 cases.
Access to many services is being restricted by the Czech government.
The Netherlands implemented a partial lockdown over the weekend.
According to the report, German leaders also agreed that they would restrict unvaccinated persons in high-Covid hospitals admissions.This would impact 12 of Germany’s 16 state.
On Wednesday, the German daily infection record was 52 826.
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