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COVID-19 HEALTH PASS

Austria to introduce on-the-spot fines for breaching 3G rule

From Thursday, on-the-spot fines of €90 can be issued for not complying with the rule to be vaccinated, recovered or have tested negative in certain places. Citizens, residents and tourists can all be fined.

Austria to introduce on-the-spot fines for breaching 3G rule
A person attending an event has their Covid credentials checked. Photo: SAMEER AL-DOUMY / AFP

Anyone wanting to visit restaurants, hotels and take part in events, get a haircut, etc, in Austria needs to do so pursuant to the so-called ‘3G Rule’. 

The 3G Rule refers to ‘Getestet, Geimpft, Genesen’ (Tested, Vaccinated, Recovered) and describes the three ways someone can provide evidence they are immune to the virus.

‘3G Rule’: How to prove you have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from Covid in Austria

This means they will need to show evidence of vaccination, a negative test or having recently recovered from the virus. 

The rule applies for everyone over the age of 12 in Austria, although in Vienna it applies from the age of six.

People can either show paper evidence of compliance, or do so through the app. 

Fines of €90 to be issued from Thursday

As of Thursday, July 15th, police will be able to issue on-the-spot fines for breaching the rules. 

This includes people who have forged their 3G credentials – i.e. by using a forged certificate or by using that of another – or those who are not compliant with the 3G Rule but are in an area where it is required. 

Previously, it was possible to fine someone for not complying with the rule, however this needed to take place through an administrative procedure which was time intensive.

UPDATE: What are the current rules for masks in Austria?

Now fines can be issued immediately. 

Anyone who is not complying with the rule can be fined, regardless of whether they are an Austrian citizen, a resident or a tourist. 

Under the rule, anyone “failing to provide evidence of a low epidemiological risk” is liable for a fine of €90. 

Failing to wear an appropriate mask properly in an area where it is required will also result in fines of €90. 

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VIENNA

Strike warning: Why are doctors planning a protest in Vienna?

Vienna hospital doctors are taking the streets in protest - in a move that many called a 'dress rehearsal' for a possible strike. Why are doctors protesting?

Strike warning: Why are doctors planning a protest in Vienna?

Hospital doctors in Vienna and representatives of other healthcare professions, such as nurses, have planned a protest march in the city centre this Monday, December 4th. 

With the motto “Without us, Vienna dies” (Ohne uns stirbt Wien), the health professionals want to call attention to their “deteriorating working conditions”, according to a press release by the doctor’s chamber Ärztekammer für Wien. The protest is seen as “dress rehearsal” for a possible strike in spring, Austrian media has reported.

“The staffing and structural understaffing of Vienna’s public hospitals is no longer sustainable. While entire departments are disappearing and staff are leaving in frustration, city politicians have consistently ignored our proposals from the 10-point plan to save Vienna’s hospitals for months.”, they wrote.

READ ALSO: Why Austria wants to speed up integration of foreigners into the workforce

The proposals include measures to make health professions more attractive, stop workers from leaving the sector altogether, improve working conditions in the Viennese hospitals, and modernise structures so doctors and nurses can have more time for patients.

The medical association also demands a 30 percent pay rise, saying that the recently presented agreements just below the ten percent mark only compensate for inflation. 

They added: “It is not enough to create new posts that are then vacant in addition to the existing ones. What we need are people who are happy to work with us in the hospitals of the City of Vienna. We need a wave of de-bureaucratization, more autonomy and department level to find suitable solutions for and with our colleagues.”

The protest rally will start in the early afternoon at Neuer Markt. It will then continue through the city centre and past the town hall. A final rally is planned at Stock-Im-Eisen-Platz at around 4.00 pm.

READ ALSO: What kind of insurance do I need to have in Austria?

Population support

The medical association said there is support among the population for the protests, citing a “Health Barometer 2023” research presented by pollster Peter Hajek.

In the survey involving 1,000 residents of Vienna, participants criticised the healthcare system and healthcare policies. A significant majority, 63 percent, felt that healthcare hadn’t improved post-pandemic. Regarding Vienna’s hospitals, 37 percent rated their condition as “Not sufficient” or “Sufficient,” with a mere 5 percent indicating a “Very good” status.

Critiques highlighted concerns about prolonged surgery waiting times and overcrowded hospital outpatient departments.

READ ALSO: Reader question: Can doctors charge a cancellation fee in Austria?

The survey revealed that an overwhelming majority believed that increased salaries for hospital staff would be justified. Additionally, there is significant support for potential strike actions, with 91 percent expressing understanding for such measures, as confirmed by Hajek.

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