Austria is placing millions of people who are not fully vaccinated against covid in lockdown from midnight on Sunday.
Anyone over the age of 12 who has not been double-jabbed will only be allowed to leave their homes for work, school, exercise and for buying essential supplies.
The lockdown is expected to last at least 10 days.
Sky News reports: On Friday, the government announced plans to lockdown the unvaccinated in two regions – Upper Austria and Salzburg – but this has now been extended to the rest of the country.
Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in western Europe and a seven-day average COVID infection rate of 775.5 per 100,000 people. The UK equivalent is currently 348.7 per 100,000.
Ministers hope the new measures will encourage people to get vaccinated and start to curb case levels.
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg told reporters in Vienna on Sunday: “It’s our job as the government of Austria to protect the people. Therefore we decided that starting Monday… there will be a lockdown for the unvaccinated.”
Police will be told to monitor people’s activities and can fine them up to £1,200 (1,450 euros) for breaking the rules, Mr Schallenberg added.
Mr Schallenberg stressed that while the seven-day infection rate for vaccinated people has been falling in recent days, for the unvaccinated numbers are rising.
#UPDATES Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg says that a nationwide lockdown would begin Monday for those not vaccinated against Covid-19 or recently recovered, as the EU state fights a record surge in cases https://t.co/55RWWbxQ7R pic.twitter.com/SEwYngJOYG
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 14, 2021
