<p id="thickbox_headline">The Austrian government ordered a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people starting midnight Sunday to slow the fast spread of the coronavirus in the country.</p>.<p>The move prohibits unvaccinated individuals older than age 12 from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping, going for a walk — or getting vaccinated.</p>.<p>Authorities are concerned that hospital staff will no longer be able to handle the growing influx of Covid-19 patients.</p>.<p>“It's our job as the government of Austria to protect the people,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg told reporters in Vienna on Sunday. “Therefore we decided that starting Monday ... there will be a lockdown for the unvaccinated.”</p>.<p>The lockdown affects about 2 million people in the Alpine country of 8.9 million people, news agency <em>APA </em>reported.</p>.<p>It doesn't apply to children under the age of 12 because they cannot yet officially get vaccinated.</p>.<p>The lockdown will initially last for 10 days and police have been asked to check people outside to make sure they are vaccinated, Schallenberg said.</p>.<p>Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in western Europe: only around 65 per cent of the total population is fully vaccinated.</p>.<p>In recent weeks, the country has faced a worrying trend in infections. The country reported 11,552 new cases on Sunday; a week ago there were 8,554 new infections.</p>.<p>The seven-day infection rate stands at 775.5 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants.</p>.<p>In comparison, the rate is at 289 in neighbouring Germany, which has already also sounded the alarm over the rising numbers. </p>
<p id="thickbox_headline">The Austrian government ordered a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people starting midnight Sunday to slow the fast spread of the coronavirus in the country.</p>.<p>The move prohibits unvaccinated individuals older than age 12 from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping, going for a walk — or getting vaccinated.</p>.<p>Authorities are concerned that hospital staff will no longer be able to handle the growing influx of Covid-19 patients.</p>.<p>“It's our job as the government of Austria to protect the people,” Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg told reporters in Vienna on Sunday. “Therefore we decided that starting Monday ... there will be a lockdown for the unvaccinated.”</p>.<p>The lockdown affects about 2 million people in the Alpine country of 8.9 million people, news agency <em>APA </em>reported.</p>.<p>It doesn't apply to children under the age of 12 because they cannot yet officially get vaccinated.</p>.<p>The lockdown will initially last for 10 days and police have been asked to check people outside to make sure they are vaccinated, Schallenberg said.</p>.<p>Austria has one of the lowest vaccination rates in western Europe: only around 65 per cent of the total population is fully vaccinated.</p>.<p>In recent weeks, the country has faced a worrying trend in infections. The country reported 11,552 new cases on Sunday; a week ago there were 8,554 new infections.</p>.<p>The seven-day infection rate stands at 775.5 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants.</p>.<p>In comparison, the rate is at 289 in neighbouring Germany, which has already also sounded the alarm over the rising numbers. </p>