Coronavirus: Lockdowns divide Europe
Although in previous waves European countries followed almost the same way of dealing with the pandemic, this winter things are different. The example of France and Austria and the methods they use to convince the untouchables.
During the first pandemic, governments in Europe took more or less the same measures to deal with it and prevent the spread of the coronavirus . With a few exceptions, such as Sweden, European countries have closed their borders, "frozen" their economies and imposed a lockdown on citizens' traffic in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.
With the vaccinations, the measures were relaxed, travel was allowed again and Europe returned to an -almost- normality.
But this winter, as temperatures drop, with rising cases bringing Europe back to the forefront of the pandemic, the Old Continent is once again forced to take tougher action in a desperate effort to ease the pressure on hospitals. This time, however, European countries do not agree on the measures to be taken in this direction.
While several countries have followed the example of France, with vaccination certificates , others are ready to follow the solution in Austria, which has ordered millions of citizens to stay home and go out only for basic activities such as work, shopping and exercise. while from February the vaccination will become mandatory.
The goal of both models is the same: to vaccinate more people. However, the differences are key.
In France, unvaccinated people can still access public places if they can prove they have recently recovered from a COVID-19 infection or have a negative COVID test with them.
In Austria , the opposite is true: Not only are unvaccinated people (excluding those who have recently recovered and children under 12) preparing to be excluded from public places even after the national lockdown has ended, but those who refuse to comply will be found faced with fines but also with the law.
The question facing governments in Europe is which approach will prove most effective. Austria may be able to increase vaccination rates but is also at risk of increasing vaccine skeptics.
In Austria, the unvaccinated are still a significant proportion of the population. Nearly a third of the country, or about 2 million people, chose not to get vaccinated. Meanwhile, the country continues to break case records daily.
"If the healthcare system reaches its limits, then additional measures need to be taken," said Eva Schernhammer, head of the epidemiology department at Vienna Medical University.
Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have said they will follow suit with stricter restrictions on the unvaccinated.
