Austria to ease virus rules after vaccine mandate begins

FAN Editor

Austrian officials plan to loosen coronavirus restrictions in February

VIENNA — Austria plans to loosen coronavirus restrictions in February after the country’s national vaccine mandate, the first of its kind in Europe, takes effect on Tuesday.

Starting Feb. 5, restaurants will be allowed to remain open until midnight, as opposed to 10 p.m., Chancellor Karl Nehammer said at a Saturday news conference.

In addition, rules effectively barring unvaccinated people from stores and restaurants will be phased out. Starting Feb. 12, proof of vaccination or recovery will no longer be required to enter shops. A week later, on Feb. 19, entry into restaurants will be allowed for all who can prove vaccination, recovery or a negative coronavirus test.

Nehammer also said last week that lockdown restrictions for vaccinated people, which have been in place since November, will end on Monday.

Still, Nehammer said the low rate of patients now hospitalized for the virus means additional steps toward normalcy are possible. Officials in Austria expect the omicron wave to peak in the first week of February.

Austria has seen over 14,000 virus deaths in the pandemic.

———

Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.

Free America Network Articles

Leave a Reply

Next Post

Missouri officers kill suspect, citing 'imminent danger'

An Arkansas man has been fatally shot by police in Springfield, Missouri, after officers determined he had put a woman and her children in “imminent danger.” ByThe Associated Press January 29, 2022, 8:18 PM • 1 min read Share to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this article SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Officers in […]