Vienna, Mar. 9, (dpa/GNA) – Austria’s vaccine mandate for the coronavirus is set to fall by the wayside because it can no longer be justified given the lower dangers presented by the prevailing Omicron variant, Constitutional Affairs Minister Karoline Edtstadler has said.
An opinion by a panel of experts prompted the decision, she said on Wednesday. The situation will be re-evaluated in three months, said Health Minister Johannes Rauch.
The mandate went into effect at the start of February. Under current law, starting on Tuesday, people who have opted against vaccination will have to pay a €3,600 ($3,900) fee.
Austria was in the European forefront in its efforts to create the mandate. Most other EU countries that set up mandates limited them to certain age groups, for example. The country’s vaccination rate remains at around 70%.
GNA