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With a silent demonstration, about 30,000 people in Vienna commemorated this Sunday, December 19, the almost 13,500 victims that the coronavirus has claimed in Austria since the start of the pandemic.
A deep silence along one of the main avenues of Vienna was felt this Sunday, December 19. It was an act in memory of all the fatalities left by the Covid-19 pandemic in Austria.
Thousands of people gathered for the vigil and, for ten minutes, raised candles and lights of all kinds to the sky to commemorate the deceased.
The initiative, which had the support of civil, religious and human rights organizations, was organized after a series of demonstrations by critics and deniers of the pandemic that, this year, managed to summon thousands of people in the streets.
In those demonstrations, many of the participants were far-right sympathizers who have demonstrated their rejection of restrictions on public life designed to curb the pandemic, as well as mandatory vaccination next year.
This last measure makes Austria for now the only European country to impose immunization. If not vaccinated, the person will face fines of up to $ 4,050.
In November, the European country was one of the most affected by Covid-19 on the continent, forcing the Government to introduce a series of restrictions and a general lockdown that gradually ended this week.
The measures helped reduce infections in recent days, however, experts already warn of the arrival of the omicron variant, much more contagious than the delta variant.
In addition, the government announced this week other restrictions for those who want to enter the country. As of this Monday, December 20, people who enter Austria, between nationals and foreigners, will have to have a valid vaccination certificate, have overcome the disease or otherwise, undergo a ten-day isolation that can be broken with a PCR test after five days.
“These stricter entry rules pose great challenges, especially for people traveling abroad during the Christmas holidays. However, they are especially needed at this time to counteract the spread of Omicron in Austria, ”stated Austrian Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein.
The Austrian Government also included Angola, Zambia and Malawi among the countries with which direct air connections are prohibited.
With EFE and Reuters
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