Austrian parliament to vote on universal vaccine mandate

VIENNA (AP) — Austria’s parliament is due to vote on introducing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for adults, the first of its kind in Europe. The mandate would apply to all residents of Austria age 18 and over, with exemptions for pregnant women, individuals who for medical reasons can’t be vaccinated, and people who have recovered from a coronavirus infection in the past six months. It appears assured of approval on Thursday. Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s governing coalition worked with two of the three opposition parties in parliament on plans to implement the mandate. They call for the vaccine mandate to become law at the beginning of February, but enforcement would start in mid-March.