Corona and no end: After the Austrian government decided today to lock down the unvaccinated, a lot of people are facing problems. Not only the unvaccinated but also everyone else.

Austria’s Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced this evening (14.11.) that the lockdown for the unvaccinated will apply in Austria as of tonight. This means that all persons who do not meet the 2G criteria (vaccinated or convalescent) will only be allowed to leave the house on certain occasions. What is new for the unvaccinated is that they are now also restricted to shopping for the basic necessities of daily life.

After the announcement of this measure last weekend, the willingness to vaccinate increased drastically in Austria. Long queues formed in front of stationary and mobile vaccination facilities, as reported by the Salzburger Nachrichten. Der Spiegel commented on 6.11. “Schnitzel panic in Austria”. Indeed, the sudden increase in willingness to vaccinate raises questions. Could it be that among the many vaccination refusers there are actually a lot of vaccination muffleheads who just need a drastic push? For example, no more schnitzel in the restaurant? If you look at the map of incidences in Germany on spiegel online, it becomes very clear: the highest incidences are in the federal states with the lowest vaccination rates – all of them in the south-east of the republic. However, the increased vaccination response comes too late for the current Corona wave.

Across the border only with 2G

Cross-border tourist traffic is de facto only possible with 2G as of Monday. Unvaccinated persons can no longer move freely in Austria and quarantine applies to unvaccinated persons on their return journey to Germany. Austria is a Corona high-risk country for Germany. The detailed current regulations are available on the website of Tourismus Salzburg. So it remains to be seen what the next developments will be. Advent and Christmas are coming despite all the restrictions. Let’s hope that it won’t be too gloomy.