The Austrian government has decided to suspend the compulsory vaccination law, which came into force in February 2022, said Minister for European Affairs and the Constitution in the Office of the Federal Chancellor of Austria Karoline Edtstadler.

According to her, a special expert commission under the government of the republic recommended temporarily abandoning mandatory vaccination against covid due to the stable situation in the healthcare system, TASS reported.

Following consultations with the Minister of Health, we have come to the decision to follow the proposal of the commission and accordingly suspend compulsory vaccination, Edtstadler said at a press conference in Vienna.

She explained that the suspension of the relevant law was originally provided for by its provisions. The decision was made due to the fact that now, due to the spread of other mutations of the coronavirus, the implementation of mandatory vaccination is an unjustified interference with fundamental rights, the minister added.

As Austrian Health Minister Johannes Rauch said, the suspension of mandatory vaccination will be in effect until at least June, when a new report from the expert commission will be presented.

A new decision will be made in three months, Rauch said, adding that it will be made on the basis of scientific data on the epidemiological situation.

Currently, in Austria, about 70% of the population has been vaccinated against covid twice, Rauch said.

The law on compulsory vaccination against coronavirus for residents over 18 years old in Austria came into force on February 5. Control over compliance with the law was planned to be introduced from March 15. This measure became unpopular in the country.