By MICHELLE HASH
Staff Writer
Ordered to begin Sunday, November 14th at midnight, Austria has ordered their unvaccinated citizens to undergo a strict lockdown saying people 12 and over, who have yet to get their vaccine, must stay home unless it is for necessities such as grocery shopping. In a country of 8.9 million people, 2 million of them are currently unvaccinated and by ordering this lockdown, the Chancellor of Austria is hoping to minimize the numbers of hospitalization and especially deaths related to the COVID-19 virus.
As of the day of initiation, it is said that the lockdown is planned to last only 10 days with officers patrolling to enforce it, giving people violating the mandate a fine for $1,660. Austria is hoping to persuade everyone to get their shot because, as of right now, they have one of the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe sitting at 65% of the total population vaccinated.