The Austrian government has announced it will be extending the general lockdown for all unvaccinated residents as the Omicron variant of the Wuhan virus spreads across the country.
On Thursday, Austria’s National Council decided to extend the lockdown for the unvaccinated until at least January 10th. Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein claimed that the government is concerned the spread of the Omicron variant could potentially overwhelm the country’s healthcare system.
Mückstein also claimed that he regretted that the government could not announce any relaxation of existing measures, insisting that the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus made an extension of the lockdown rules unavoidable, Kronen Zeitung reports.
The new measures are the fourth amendment to Austria’s COVID-19 Protective Measures Ordinance and were passed in parliament by the ruling Austrian People’s Party (OeVP), their coalition partners the Greens, as well as the Social Democrats (SPOe).
While the government allowed the unvaccinated to participate in Christmas gatherings and will afford them a measure of freedom for the upcoming New Year’s celebrations, the new amendment states that private New Year gatherings must not exceed ten people. A curfew for all restaurants has also been set for 10 p.m.
The EU member-state has also decided that any vaccine certificates that involved a single dose inoculation will expire on January 3rd. Those who took a one-dose vaccine will be required to take a booster shot for their health passport to remain valid.
Unvaccinated individuals in Austria have been under a general lockdown since late November, which ultimately included fully vaccinated residents as well — but the government lifted restrictions for the vaccinated earlier this month.
The new amendment is just the latest time the lockdown for the unvaccinated has been extended by the government, which will meet on January 10th to possibly extend the lockdown yet again.
The new year will also see Austria make the vaccine mandatory for all citizens. Those who do not comply could face large fines as well as possible prison time beginning in February.