Austria set to impose nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated

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The Austrian government is meeting over the weekend with the intent of imposing a nationwide lockdown on unvaccinated citizens, and at least two provinces are slated to be under such orders starting Monday.

Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg (Photo by Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images) (Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images)

Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said Friday that he and regional leaders would get together on Sunday to discuss the plans, and that "The aim is very clear: that we give the green light this Sunday for a nationwide lockdown for the unvaccinated," the Associated Press reported.

Regardless of whether the federal government approves the lockdown for the unvaccinated to apply to the entire country, unvaccinated residents in the provinces of Upper Austria and Salzburg will be under lockdown beginning Monday and will only be allowed to leave their homes for necessities such as buying groceries or going to doctor's appointments.

People visit the newly opened "Christkindlmarkt" Vienna's classic Christmas Market, on the square in front of the City Hall in Vienna, Austria, on November 12, 2021, during the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. - Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said on November 12, 2021 he wanted to introduce a nationwide lockdown for those not vaccinated or recovered from coronavirus, as the country struggles with rapidly rising cases. - Austria OUT (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH / APA / AFP) / Austria OUT (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH/APA/AFP via Getty Images) (GEORG HOCHMUTH / APA / AFP) / Austria OUT)

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Unvaccinated Austrians are already banned from going to events that have 25 or more attendees, and have also been prohibited from going to hairdressers or most restaurants under rules that went into effect this week.

Roughly 65% of Austrians are vaccinated for COVID-19, which is the same average for the population of the entire European Economic Area according to European Union data, Reuters reported.

A sign for customers to be either vaccinated or recovered according to the 2G rule, are seen at the old city in Salzburg, Austria, on November 12, 2021, during the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. - Austrian Chancellor Schallenberg said on November 12, that he wanted to introduce a nationwide lockdown for those not vaccinated against or recovered from the coronavirus, as cases rapidly rise. The states of Upper Austria and Salzburg, which have seen some of the worse case rates, are already introducing the lockdown for the unvaccinated as of Monday, November 15.  - Austria OUT (Photo by BARBARA GINDL / APA / AFP) / Austria OUT (Photo by BARBARA GINDL/APA/AFP via Getty Images) (BARBARA GINDL / APA / AFP) / Austria OUT)

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The outlet reported that "Europe has become the epicenter of the pandemic again, prompting some governments to consider re-imposing unpopular lockdowns in the run-up to Christmas and stirring debate over whether vaccines alone are enough to tame COVID-19."