Lagatar24 Desk
Vienna, Jan 20: Austria’s conservative-led government announced on Thursday that it would introduce a national lottery to persuade people who haven’t gotten vaccinated against the coronavirus to do so, just hours before parliament was set to vote on a bill requiring everyone to get vaccinated.
Austria has one of the lowest rates of COVID-19 vaccination in Western Europe, with roughly 72 percent of the population fully vaccinated.
On Wednesday, fresh daily infections hit a new high as the highly contagious Omicron type expanded further, although the administration wants to avoid another nationwide lockdown after the country’s fourth only last month.
” What is there to win in the vaccination lottery? Vouchers!” Chancellor Karl Nehammer told a press conference with Pamela Rendi-Wagner, the leader of the opposition Social Democrats, with whom the measure was discussed.
“We have learnt from the past and seen that a vaccination lottery is the best possible way to build up such a system,” Nehammer stated, adding, “We have seen that a vaccination lottery is the best possible method to set up such a system.”
Members of the public, whether or not they have been vaccinated, would receive a ticket for each shot they have had – a total of three tickets for those who have received their booster injection.
Nehammer stated that every tenth ticket would win a 500-euro ($568) gift voucher, but did not clarify what the coupons would be used for.
The lower house of parliament is expected to ratify a law-making vaccines mandatory for all adults in Austria later on Thursday, with initial fines of 600 euros rising to up to 3,600 euros if the charge is successfully challenged.
When the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all adults goes into force on February 1, Austria will be the first European Union country to do so.