Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) and Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (VP) presented the key points of the corona vaccination obligation yesterday at noon, but the actual draft law had to wait until the evening. Neos and SPÖ have brought the government on board, the FPÖ is against. An overview of the plans that are being assessed by January 10th:
For whom should the corona vaccination be compulsory?
The vaccination requirement will apply to all people aged 14 and over who have their main residence in Austria. When presenting the draft, Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) justified the age limit by stating that young people of this age do not need parental consent for a vaccination.
Who is exempt from the compulsory vaccination?
Pregnant women are exempted for the duration of their pregnancy. The vaccination is, however, emphasized Mückstein, “expressly recommended” to them too. Those who have recovered are excluded up to 180 days after their positive PCR result. People who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons are also not obliged to do so. Reasons include an allergy to individual ingredients of the vaccine or an acute flare-up of a severe autoimmune disease. The compulsory vaccination can also be postponed up to six months after an organ transplant and up to three months after a stem cell transplant.
Who decides whether to be vaccinated?
As an issuer of an exception certificate for reasons to the contrary, a number of medical professionals come into question: general statutory health insurance physicians, internists, psychiatrists, dermatologists, gynecologists and public medical officers. Critics had called this a “loophole”, and the medical association had also called for it to be restricted to public medical officers. Mückstein countered this with the argument that the reasons for the exception were clearly defined. In addition, doctors who issue false certificates face administrative fines of up to 3600 euros.
How is the evidence checked?
The compulsory vaccination should come into force on February 1st, 2022, from then on there will be quarterly “vaccination deadlines” on which the vaccination status is checked, for the first time on March 15th. For this purpose, data from the registration and the central vaccination register are linked. Anyone who is not vaccinated on the vaccination cut-off date or has not had an exception certificate entered in the vaccination register is “acting illegally,” as Edtstadler emphasized.
What are the penalties?
An administrative fine of up to 600 euros should be imposed on all those people who have not complied with their duty on the vaccination cut-off dates. This penalty can be deposited. If a refusal or an objection is raised, a so-called ordinary procedure starts, in which the penalty is then up to 3600 euros. The exact amount is determined based on income. There will be no substitute imprisonment in any case.
Can you be fired because you have not been vaccinated?
This question cannot yet be answered. “It will be possible to link consequences to the refusal to vaccinate,” said Edtstadler yesterday. However, details are a matter for the Ministry of Labor. Some experts consider termination possible.
When is the vaccination valid – and what if a mutation appears against which all available vaccines are ineffective?
Evidence is deemed to have been provided with vaccines recommended by the National Vaccination Board and prescribed by the Ministry of Health, including the number of booster sessions. Regarding the question of effectiveness, Mückstein referred to the consideration of “the latest scientific findings”.
Until when is the mandatory vaccination valid?
The end of January 2024 is set as the end date in the draft law. Any changes after the development of a pandemic require further legislative resolutions.
Source: Nachrichten
