Austria has closed its borders once again to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Europe has once again become the epicenter of the global pandemic, with the continent accounting for half of all COVID-19 deaths worldwide. In response, on November 19th, the Austrian government ordered a nationwide lockdown to combat the outbreak.

According to Austrian authorities, the lockdown will remain in effect until December 13th, and only those who have been vaccinated will be allowed to return to normal activities, meaning that those who have not been vaccinated will have to continue following the previous regulations.

This has caused resentment among a segment of the European population – those living in countries with high Covid-19 infection rates – who argue that Austria's actions are infringing on people's freedoms and democratic rights, and question whether other European countries will implement similar policies.

According to Reuters, Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg cited the country's low vaccination rate as the reason for the decision to close down again, with only about two-thirds of the Austrian population fully vaccinated, making it one of the least vaccinated countries in Europe.

He said, "We have been unsuccessful in persuading people to get vaccinated. Although heartbreaking, such measures must be taken." Austria stated that, in addition to lockdowns, they will require all citizens to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by February 1, 2022.

Khanh Ha