Germany’s vaccination rate is around 67.5 per cent of its population, not much better than Austria, but the Netherlands is up to 85 per cent and yet it is that country that could become the first European nation to impose new national lockdown measures since the summer, possibly announcing the step as soon as Friday evening. But, to a certain extent, you also, as a member of society, have the duty to be vaccinated to protect yourself and to protect others.” The northern region of 1.5m people borders Germany and the Czech Republic and has recorded 1,200 new cases per 100,000 residents over the last week, giving it the country’s highest transmission rate alongside the lowest vaccine uptake.Ĭhancellor Angela Merkel called on her citizens to get their jabs for the sake of others, saying on Thursday: “You have the right to get vaccinated. The arrival of winter flu season in Western Europe, alongside the still pernicious presence of the coronavirus, continues to represent a significant public health risk, especially given that most states have now abandoned mandatory mask orders and social distancing measures in favour of encouraging vaccine takeup.Īustria’s worst-hit province, Upper Austria, looks set to take the lead. He added that his country’s vaccine rate - around 65 per cent of the population - was “shamefully low” but insisted that: “We can break this wave together.”Īnti-vaccine sentiment has been encouraged in Austria, as elsewhere in the world, by right-wing populist groups like the Freedom Party, who frame the debate as a matter of personal choice, rather than a simple civic duty intended to protect both individuals and society as a whole.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |