Austria has reimposed full national lockdown amidst protests against the new Coronavirus rules
Austria has reimposed full national lockdown amidst protests against the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) rules, as cases continue to surge across Europe.
The full national lockdown will come into effect from midnight i.e., November 23, 2021. All the people will work from home. All the non-essential shops will remain closed.
This is the 4th national lockdown since the start of the pandemic. Restaurants, bars, hairdressers, theatres and non-essential will also remain close. These measures will continue until December 12, 2021. Last week, Austria became the first country to make COVID-19 vaccination compulsory for all its nationals. It is planning to pass a law making the COVID-19 vaccination compulsory by February 2022.
Speaking on the occasion, the Health Minister of Austria – Wolfgang Mueckstein said, “A lockdown, a relatively tough method, a sledgehammer, is the only option to reduce the numbers [of infections] here.”
Meanwhile, there have been protests across Europe, including Austria, Netherlands and Belgium, against the new COVID-19 restrictions, asking all people to get fully vaccinated. Germany is also planning a law, making vaccination compulsory.
The Regional Director of World Health Organisation (WHO) – Dr. Hans Kluge warned that unless measures are tightened across Europe, it would become really difficult to contain the pandemic.
Taking it to twitter, Kluge tweeted,
#COVID19 vaccines are vital to curb severe disease & death, and reduce pressure on hospitals. But to prevent infection and transmission we need vaccines PLUS other protective 😷measures. Spoke to @dwnews today
— Hans Kluge (@hans_kluge) November 21, 2021
👇 https://t.co/UaYKCyCcbi
In Belgium’s capital Brussels, demonstrators clashed with police after tens of thousands of people marched through the city centre. The people are mainly opposing the COVID-19 pass which stops the unvaccinated people from accessing cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues. In Netherlands, rioting took place for the third night in a row. Police has also arrested people from the protest.
There is a 3-week partial national lockdown in Netherlands making the restaurants and bars close early and making the sporting events to be held indoor. It has also banned the fireworks on the New Year’s Eve. Protests were also observed in Croatia’s capital Zagreb and Copenhagen in Denmark. The French Caribbean department of Guadeloupev has been rocked by three days of looting and vandalism, over a mandatory vaccine order for health workers as well as high fuel prices.
