Authorities in both Austria and France have finally lifted almost all remaining COVID-19 lockdown rules in place in their countries.
After having used a wide variety of coercive measures to try and force individuals to get vaccinated, both France and Austria have finally pulled the plug on their COVID-19 lockdown rules, with the states leaving only a few small measures in place designed to curb new outbreaks.
Both countries had pursued hardline vaccine passport measures aimed at limiting the access unjabbed individuals had to the outside world, though both were met with only limited success.
Meanwhile, other countries in the EU, such as Germany and Ireland, are mulling bringing back restrictions ahead of the coming winter.
According to reports by Le Figaro and Der Spiegel, the two countries lifted almost all of what remained of these regimes on Monday.
In France, mask mandates have been abolished along with the country’s regime of COVID passes, while restrictions on entering the country have also been abolished.
What’s more, in the case of COVID health and vaccine passes, for any French government to reintroduce the measures, they would first be forced to bring the issue before the French parliament, which has now a far greater presence of lockdown sceptics in the form of Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National.
Meanwhile, all general mask-wearing measures have been lifted in Austria, while even those who test positive for COVID-19 even being allowed to venture outside their house for any purpose, so long as they wear an FFP2 mask at all times.
Austria Scraps Coronavirus Vaccine Mandate Lawhttps://t.co/7UDQrZOjhr
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Despite the easing, restrictions nevertheless remain in place in both countries.
For example, in Austria, those infected with COVID-19 are forbidden from eating or drinking outside of isolation, as that would involve taking off their FFP2 mask.
Meanwhile, in France, the government retains the power to reimplement mask mandates at a moment’s notice, as well as impose travel restrictions on those coming into the country, though only in the event of a new foreign outbreak of a COVID variant deemed to be dangerous.
While restrictions nevertheless, the measures pale in comparison to previous lockdown rules in place in both countries.
For example, Austria had for months operated a regime of locking down the unjabbed and uninfected only in the hopes of encouraging them to get vaccinated, a move that lead to significant social tensions in the country.
What’s more, the country had even at one point formally implemented rules forcing people to get vaccinated, with those who remained unjabbed officially being deemed to be in active breach in the law, though this measure was quickly dropped after being found to be disproportionate and ultimately ineffective.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron pushed through the implementation of his regime of vaccine passes, a measure which he expressly said was designed to “piss off” unvaccinated individuals in the country by legally excluding them from ordinary life.
Under the measures, those who lacked proof of vaccination or previous infection were excluded from various public amenities such as bars, restaurants, cultural venues and interregional public transport.
While no doubt causing havoc for the country’s unjabbed, the measures were ultimately “suspended” after a few months, having now been pulled entirely save for a parliamentary vote to reintroduce the regime.
How long these measures will remain stuck in the past however remains unknown though, as other countries in the European Union mull bringing the likes of forced mask wearing into force.
For example, Germany has confirmed that it will bring back harsh restrictions in the coming winter, while Ireland has secretly war-gamed the use of COVID-like restrictions as a way of reducing the country’s fossil fuel use in the event of shortages brought about in-part by Russia sanctions.
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