The mandate for the COVID vaccine in Austria will be suspended this summer
Key Takeaways:
- According to the Austrian Press Agency, on Wednesday, a parliamentary committee approved an order from the health minister to broaden the prohibition.
- The mandate was suspended just a week before it was supposed to take effect, with the administration saying that it was unnecessary to implement in the current scenario.
The mandate for covid-19 vaccination in Austria has been put on hold for another three months until the end of August.
As per the Austrian Press Agency, a parliamentary committee passed an order from the health minister to expand the ban on Wednesday.
Officials said on Tuesday that the requirement for persons aged 18 and older, which was approved in early February but has yet to be enforced, will be postponed. According to them, an expert commission ruled that adopting it today would be unjustified because it was not appropriate.
The concept was originally disclosed in November following an increase in COVID-19 instances that compelled Austria to close its borders. However, by the time the legislation was in place, much of the urgency had dissipated.
In mid-March, police were supposed to start checking people's vaccination status, for example, during traffic stops. However, the administration halted the mandate just a week before it was set to take effect, claiming that it was unnecessary to implement in the current situation.
People who cannot present proof of vaccination will be asked in writing to do so and fined up to 600 euros (about $650) if they do not comply. If someone contests their punishment, fines might exceed 3,600 euros.
Austria was the 1st European nation to pass legislation mandating universal vaccination. Only Germany, a neighboring country, considered following suit, but its parliament this month rejected even a proposal for a mandate for individuals aged 60 and up.