COVID news: Austria threatens lockdown for unvaccinated only | DW News

Austria is threatening to impose the toughest restrictions in Europe on those unvaccinated against COVID-19. It says they could be put into lockdown if the nation's intensive care units come under too much strain.

Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg warned of a 'pandemic of the unprotected' as infection numbers in Austria rise. Around 62 percent of eligible people have been fully vaccinated - but the campaign has stalled.

After a crisis meeting, the chancellor said he hopes the plan will send a message to those still refusing to take the jab.

Countries across eastern Europe are already dealing with overcrowded hospitals because of vaccine skepticism. New infections and deaths in Ukraine are the highest they've been since the beginning of the pandemic. The government has introduced new restrictions on public life in response.

People suffering from Covid's Delta variant have practically filled a hospital west of Kyiv. Doctors expect even more cases, and they know why.

Only 15 percent of Ukrainians are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus - one of Europe's lowest rates. After experiencing the disease, some people say they should have acted differently.

As new cases and deaths from the disease reach new heights in Ukraine, more people are getting their coronavirus shots. But not all have come voluntarily. Ukraine now requires many state employees including teachers to be vacccinated against the virus. And to ride public transport, people now have to be either be vaccinated or tested before traveling. But again, resentment against the measures is widespread. To get around the restrictions, many Ukrainians have been buying fake vaccination documents. Yet another problem for a country already struggling with the pandemic.

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