BERLIN — The Austrian government has ordered a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people to slow the fast spread of the coronavirus in the country.
The move prohibits unvaccinated individuals older than age 12 from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as work, grocery shopping, going for a walk — or getting vaccinated.
Authorities are concerned that hospital staff will no longer be able to handle the growing influx of COVID-19 patients.
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said: “It’s our job as government of Austria to protect the people.”
The lockdown affects about 2 million people in the Alpine country of 8.9 million people and will initially last for 10 days.
Virginians age 5+ are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine. Pre-registration is no longer required,so go to Vaccine Finderto search for specific vaccines available near you or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-275-8343).
Have You Been Fully Vaccinated?
People are considered fully vaccinated:
- 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
- 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
How to Protect Yourself and Others When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated
COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
We’re still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19. After you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you should keep taking precautions—like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces—in public places until we know more.
These recommendations can help you make decisions about daily activities after you are fully vaccinated. They are not intended for healthcare settings.
Click here for more information from the Virginia Department of Health.