Austria's Covid Crisis: Navigating The Pandemic's Impact

Austria has had a varied response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with some of its actions being criticised as heavy-handed. In 2020, an Austrian ski resort became the centre of Europe's COVID-19 outbreak, with thousands of tourists attempting to leave after authorities became aware of coronavirus cases. In November 2021, Austria became the first European country to go into full lockdown and to make vaccination compulsory. In January 2022, Austria imposed tougher COVID-19 measures to curb the spread of the Omicron variant, including the compulsory wearing of FFP2 masks outdoors.

Austria's COVID-19 restrictions

On March 16, 2020, Austria imposed its first "exit restrictions", with a nationwide stay-at-home order coming into force. People could only leave their homes for essential work, necessary purchases, assisting others, or outdoor activities alone or with their household. All non-essential retail work that could not be done from home was stopped. Additionally, Austria banned all arrivals from Italy, China's Hubei province, Iran, and South Korea, except for those with a recent medical certificate confirming they were not affected by COVID-19.

By March 30, 2020, the Austrian government announced plans to introduce the compulsory wearing of face masks covering the mouth and nose for anyone entering supermarkets. This measure would later be extended to more public places.

In May 2020, Austria started to ease some restrictions. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz invited German tourists to visit the country, promoting Austria as a safer alternative to Italy. On May 21, tourists from Germany and Switzerland were allowed to cross Austrian borders but were prohibited from stopping within the country. On June 3, Austria further reopened its borders, reciprocally agreeing with Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic to lift restrictions.

However, as cases rose again in July 2020, Austria reintroduced face mask requirements inside supermarkets, banks, and post offices. Tighter testing requirements were also implemented for arrivals from the Balkans.

In September 2020, the Corona traffic light system was introduced, with Vienna, Linz, Graz, and the Tyrolean district of Kufstein lighting up as medium risk (yellow). Vienna tightened its measures, requiring people to leave their contact details when visiting restaurants, bars, and clubs.

In October 2020, further restrictions were imposed. Non-work-related meetings were limited to 6 people indoors and 12 people outdoors, with an exception for funerals. A "lockdown light" was announced, restricting people from leaving their homes between 8 PM and 6 AM unless for special circumstances.

In November 2020, a second hard lockdown was implemented until December 6, with the goal of reducing new cases and relieving pressure on hospitals.

A third hard lockdown took effect from December 26, 2020, to January 24, 2021, with a brief relaxation during the Christmas holidays. This lockdown was later extended until February 7 after the discovery of mutations of the UK and South African variants in the country.

On February 16, 2021, the strict lockdown was lifted, and retail shops, schools, service providers, museums, parks, and zoos were allowed to reopen with heavy protective measures, including the mandatory wearing of FFP2 masks.

In November 2021, a national lockdown was imposed for unvaccinated citizens aged 12 and over, allowing them to leave home only for work, food shopping, or emergencies. Soon after, on November 19, a full national lockdown was announced for all citizens, lasting 20 days, to curb the fourth wave of infections in the country. Citizens were required to work from home, non-essential shops were closed, and schools remained open only for children requiring face-to-face learning.

In January 2022, Austria imposed tougher restrictions to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. These included the compulsory wearing of FFP2 masks outdoors if a distance of more than two meters could not be maintained. People were encouraged to work from home whenever possible, and proof of vaccination or recovery was required to enter trade businesses, restaurants, and cafes. Quarantine times were shortened, and vaccine certificates were limited to six months.

By February 2022, Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced that most of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted by March 5, 2022.

Omicron variant in Austria

Austria has been hit by the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The country reported its first suspected case of the variant in November 2021, in the Tyrol region. A traveller who returned from South Africa tested positive for COVID-19 with indications of the Omicron variant. This discovery sparked global concern and travel restrictions, as well as financial market worries that it could hinder pandemic recovery.

By January 2022, Omicron had become the dominant variant in Austria, leading to a sharp rise in infection rates. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced tougher COVID-19 restrictions to curb the spread of the variant, including stricter mask mandates, work-from-home directives, and proof of vaccination or recovery to enter various establishments. The country also shortened quarantine times and limited the validity of vaccine certificates.

In September 2022, a new Omicron sub-variant, BJ.1, was detected in Austria. According to Austrian geneticist Ulrich Elling, this sub-variant has set a "new record in mutations," with 14 additional mutations near the receptor-binding domains that the virus uses to enter human cells. While the numbers of cases were still low at the time, Elling expressed concern that the new mutations could lead to further significant evasion of the immune system.

Austria's vaccination status

As of January 2022, Austria had imposed tougher Covid-19 measures to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced that the country would impose stricter rules on its citizens and businesses to prevent another lockdown. These rules included the compulsory wearing of FFP2 masks outdoors if a distance of more than two meters was not possible, and proof of vaccination or recovery to enter trade businesses, restaurants, and cafes.

Austria became the first country in Europe to introduce a general compulsory COVID-19 vaccination law in 2022. The law applied to anyone living in Austria from the age of 14, with limited exceptions for pregnant women and individuals with certain health issues. Those who refused to comply with the law could be fined up to €3,600. The law sparked waves of strong street protests in several Austrian cities and criticism from Great Britain. Despite the controversy, the Austrian government moved forward with the mandatory vaccination law, which was scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2022.

As of January 2025, the Impfservice Wien (Vaccination Service of the City of Vienna) offers the XBB.1.5-adapted vaccines by BioNTech/Pfizer (for ages 5 and above), Novavax (for ages 12 and above), and Moderna (for ages 30 and above). Vaccinations can be booked online or by phone, and are also available at general practitioners' offices.

Austria's lockdown

Austria has been one of the countries worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, the Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, warned that "everybody will have a family member or good friend dead due to COVID and Austria will face the horror of tens of thousands of deaths". Following this, Austria went into a lockdown that included a complete closure of all stores except supermarkets, pharmacies, and banks, as well as schools. A complete curfew was also imposed, with few exceptions for personal emergencies.

In November 2021, Austria became the first country in the European Union to impose a complete lockdown in response to a fresh outbreak of coronavirus infections. The lockdown was announced by Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg, who cited low vaccination rates as the primary reason for the government's decision. At the time, approximately two out of three Austrians were fully vaccinated, one of the lowest inoculation rates in Europe. During this lockdown, people were not allowed to leave their homes except for essential reasons such as work, shopping for essentials, and exercise. Schools remained open, but parents were requested to keep their children at home if possible, and remote work was encouraged.

In January 2022, Austria imposed tougher COVID-19 restrictions to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. These measures included the compulsory wearing of FFP2 masks outdoors if a distance of more than two meters was not possible, and proof of vaccination or recovery to enter trade businesses, restaurants, and cafes. The Austrian government aimed to prevent another lockdown by implementing these stricter rules.

Austria imposed a police-enforced lockdown on unvaccinated individuals aged 12 and older in November 2021. However, as virus cases continued to surge, the government extended the lockdown to everyone in January 2022. The country also made complete COVID-19 vaccination a legal requirement, with Chancellor Schallenberg stating that they did not want to have ongoing waves of the virus.

Austria's COVID-19 cases

Austria has been facing a challenging situation with COVID-19, with the country becoming the centre of Europe's COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020. Thousands of tourists were stranded in the Austrian ski resort of Ischgl in March 2020 when authorities became aware of coronavirus cases, and the entire Paznaun valley was placed under quarantine. This incident resulted in a class action lawsuit, with at least 6,000 people claiming they contracted COVID-19 in Ischgl.

In November 2021, Austria announced a full lockdown and mandatory vaccination for its entire population, becoming the first European country to do so. This decision was made in response to surging COVID-19 cases and aimed to prevent further strain on hospitals. The country faced criticism for these measures, with some labelling Austria a "dictatorship."

Austria has continued to grapple with COVID-19, and in January 2022, the country imposed stricter regulations to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. These measures included mandatory European standard FFP2 masks outdoors, remote work recommendations, and proof of vaccination or recovery for entering various establishments. Despite these efforts, Austria reported a sharp increase in infection rates, with the Omicron variant dominating.

The COVID-19 situation in Austria has had cross-border implications, particularly in neighbouring Germany. Districts near the Bavarian border have consistently reported high COVID-19 cases, influenced by transmission from neighbouring countries with higher incidence rates. The impact has been significant, with Bavaria imposing border controls and facing challenges due to its long external borders.

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