Austria is scrapping an already suspended COVID-19 vaccine mandate, Health Minister Johannes Rauch said on Thursday.
“We have decided as a government to remove the vaccine mandate,” Rauch said at a press conference. “Living with COVID means we will introduce a comprehensive set of measures, and today that means the abolition of compulsory vaccination.”
“No one gets vaccinated because of compulsory vaccination,” he said.
People had to be convinced to get vaccinated, Rauch explained. “And we can only achieve that when it’s on a voluntary basis.”
Originally, the plan was to threaten those who refuse vaccination with a fine of up to €3,600 ($3,780), starting March 15. But at the beginning of March, there were few signs that people were reacting to the possible financial penalties, and the law was suspended.
On Wednesday, just 140 people across Austria received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
How Austria’s vaccination mandate was received
In February, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen signed into law a mandate for all eligible adults over the age of 18 in the country to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
This decision sparked strong protests, in part directed against doctors, some of whom have received death threats.
Last month, Austria announced it would drop its mask-wearing mandate, although the Health Ministry said it could return later in the year.
About 62.4% of the Austrian population is double vaccinated.
More than 20,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Austria.
jsi/rt (TUSEN, Reuters, dpa)
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