Austria’s COVID-19 Measures

By M. M. Elghusein, J.D.

Published on December 15, 2021

In his recent GBNews television appearance, Nigel Farage described Austria’s lockdown of the unvaccinated as ‘deeply sinister’.

In this article, I will provide the reader with an idea about the current situation in Austria and how a government consisting of conservatives and Greens violated constitutional rights, plunged the country into fear and chaos, and laid the seeds of social division and hatred.

The early beginnings

“Soon, everyone will know someone who died from Corona.“ – Sebastian Kurz

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz who headed a coalition government of conservatives and Greens was instrumental in implementing the current corona regime.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Kurz instilled an atmosphere of fear and panic by making his infamous statement that “Soon, everyone will know someone who died from Corona.”

Kurz and his government would implement strict lockdowns and measures that would attract strong criticism.

Across the country, businesses including restaurants, hairdressers, clothing stores, and gyms had to remain closed for months. Operas, theaters, and museums were also closed.

Only grocery stores, pharmacies, opticians, doctors, and telecommunication stores were allowed to open.

During and after the lockdowns, people had to wear masks and undertake PCR and antigen tests to be able to visit certain places such as restaurants, cafés, or places of social gatherings.

The suppression of critics: Doctors and nurses

Medical doctors who were critical of the regime had their medical licenses revoked. Nurses and hospital workers who reported stories about what was really going on in hospitals or were critical of the regime were fired.

This reminds us of the fascist regime in Austria where critics and political undesirables were branded as outcasts and silenced.

Children and the lockdown

Children were especially affected by the lockdowns as they interrupted their regular schooling to study online. Many children have developed psychological problems as a result of the lockdowns and the negative atmosphere in the country. Schoolchildren had to wear masks and undergo regular tests. Thousands of parents had decided not to send their children to schools.

Since the government’s measures, at least 25 school teachers have left their jobs or were fired due to their objection to the corona measures of the government and their reluctance to oversee the nasty ‘nose drilling tests’ of their pupils.

Actress and ORF (Austrian Television) star Eva Herzig who opposes vaccination, decided not to send her children to school and warned of the side effects of the vaccine.

School masks and the Constitutional Court of Austria

The Constitutional Court of Austria repealed certain government ordinances pertaining to the prevention of the pandemic and ruled them to be unlawful. One ruling pertains to an ordinance in which classes were divided and the wearing of masks was made mandatory in schools outside of class hours.

The bizarre face mask ordinances

A study by the Swiss consumer magazine Ktipp, found that more than one million bacteria colonies reside in worn masks. Ktipp, also found traces of harmful substances affecting the skin and respiratory organs and causing headaches and dizziness.

According to Dr. Marcus Franz, a prominent medical doctor in Austria, masks are partly to blame for spreading colds as it weakens the body’s immune system.

The mask ordinances implemented by the government were especially bizarre and ridiculous and show the madness of the regime. A guest was only allowed to enter a restaurant or a café with a mask; while the guest was allowed to take the mask off while eating or drinking the guest was required to put the mask on once he or she stood up from their chair. If the guest wanted to go to the toilet, then he or she had to put the mask on. It is hard to believe how far this regime succeeded in insulting our intelligence and dignity.

People had to wear the FPP2 mask in the simmering summer heat whenever they boarded a train, bus, or taxicab. FPP2 masks were also required in grocery stores.

In the summer I tried to obtain an exemption from having to wear the annoying FFP2 mask which made it hard for me to breathe. Given that I have had severe allergies since my childhood, I asked several doctors if I could obtain an exemption. Despite being under the Hippocratic oath which requires doctors to act in the best interest of the patient, all the medical doctors told me that obtaining an exemption is only possible in the case of a severe medical condition or disease.

The mask has become a symbol of fear and submission to those behind this deeply sinister agenda.

Endless tests

PCR and antigen tests became routine and were required for certain professions and for anyone who wanted to visit certain places such as restaurants, cafés, hairdressing salons, or places of social gatherings.

Cases of brain fluids coming from the nose and nose bleeding resulting from the ‘nose drilling tests’ were reported in the media.

The government’s ‘Game changer’

Kurz and his government have stated that the vaccine against COVID-19 commonly known as the Coronavirus will be a ‘Game changer.’ The political message of the government was ‘one jab’ and we are out of the pandemic. Yet, things have turned out to be very different.

Soon, news headlines were full of reports of the side effects and deaths resulting from the vaccines. Mainstream scientists and health experts have realized that people who took the vaccine were still getting infected with the Coronavirus and some were even landing in intensive care.

Doubts also emerged as to the effectiveness of the vaccine against other variants of the virus such as the Delta variant and the now much-talked-about Omicron variant with more news about the vaccine’s ineffectiveness against the new variants coming daily.

It became clear that the vaccine is not the ‘Game changer’ the government had promised and that taking two or three booster jabs was necessary to fight the virus.

Despite all the evidence surrounding the ineffectiveness and the side effects of the vaccine, the prophets of doom scientists, doctors, and politicians, continue to spread fear of the virus and its variants. It soon became clear that ‘one jab’ was not sufficient as those who were already vaccinated had to take booster jabs on a regular basis. Interestingly enough some who received three jabs were getting infected with the virus and landing in hospitals.

Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt who is a professor of vaccinology and head of the Institute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine at MedUni Vienna has said that the vaccine does not offer the vaccinated protection against infection but will result in a milder outcome in case of an infection.

In September of this year, Heute, one of the largest daily mainstream newspapers in the country reported that more than 13,000 people have been infected with the Coronavirus despite being vaccinated.

Although the government stated that the pandemic is over for the vaccinated, it recently imposed a country-wide lockdown for both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.

The side effects: Hiding the true numbers

“A large size of the serious side effects is not being reported for the simple reason that it is not desirable”. – Gudula Walterskirchen

Not only did the vaccine fail to prevent people from becoming immune to the virus, the vaccine is known to cause severe side effects such as heart inflammation, heart attacks, strokes, brain hemorrhage, and paralysis to name but a few. The vaccine is also known to have caused many deaths as well. This is not surprising given that the vaccine was released as an emergency vaccine and has not been tested well enough to guarantee its safety. In fact, the mRNA vaccine is not a classical vaccine.

Many studies have examined the detrimental side effects of the vaccine on patients. Nevertheless, the government would have none of it.

In the program Talk im Hangar-7, Austrian historian and author Gudula Walterskirchen said that “A large size of the serious side effects is not being reported for the simple reason that it is not desirable”.

Walterskirchen also mentioned that doctors who report too many patients with side effects were getting into trouble with the Austrian medical board (ÖÄK). It is believed (no official reason was given for her firing) that Walterskirchen was fired as the publisher of the NÖN (News of Lower Austria newspaper) due to her stance on the vaccine and for trying to direct the publication in line with her views on the issue.

In August of this year, Österreich, Austria’s most widely read daily newspaper reported 73 cases of Myocarditis following vaccination.

Sweden and Denmark have stopped vaccinations with the Moderna vaccine for those under the age of 30 after cases of Myocarditis resulting from the vaccine have been reported.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) also announced that Guillain-Barré syndrome will be one of the possible side effects of Johnson & Johnson.

More recently, the Japanese ministry of health warned officially of the severe side effects of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Unlike Austria where it is not desirable for doctors to report side effects cases, Japanese hospitals are required to report side effects resulting from the vaccine.

Deaths from the vaccine: The dark figures

Peter Schirmacher, the chief pathologist at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, warned that there could be a high number of unreported deaths from the vaccine and requested more autopsies to determine the true causes of these deaths.

In Baden-Württemberg, autopsies of 40 people who died after vaccination have been conducted. Schirmacher assumes that 30 to 40 percent have died from the vaccine.

Doctors demand honest statistics

In September of this year, the critical Austrian newspaper Unzensuriert published an article titled: “Doctors demand honest statistics: The number of Corona intensive care patients totally distorted” that examined the controversial method of counting intensive care bed occupancy by Coronavirus patients.

The regime’s blind trust in the prophets of doom scientists and experts

The regime’s blind trust in the prophets of doom scientists such as German virologist Christian Drosten who spoke of a ‘hard winter with 100,000 deaths’ from the virus and constantly warned of prematurely ending the corona measures shows the narrow-mindedness and the sinister agenda of the regime.

The regime failed to consider health policy measures such as advising people to eat healthy foods and diets, reduce alcohol consumption, quit smoking, reduce stress, and engage in sports and outdoor activities.

The bias of the mainstream media

While the mainstream media did report about the side effects and deaths resulting from the vaccine, many of their news articles have sided with the government narrative. In Austria, the mainstream media is sponsored by the government.

Instead of providing unbiased reporting of those protesting against the government measures, the mainstream media portrayed protestors as troublemakers and branded them as ‘Corona deniers’ and ‘Corona rebels.’ As a result, the mainstream media lost its credibility with many Austrians. New media outlets that are strongly critical of the regime such as the widely-read Wochenblick newspaper have emerged in Austria.

The vaccination lottery of Österreich and the vaccine hype

To persuade people to take the vaccine, Österreich, Austria’s most widely read daily newspaper, has been running a vaccination lottery for quite some time now. It is morally reprehensible to run vaccination lotteries to persuade people to get vaccinated in order to win a TV set, or a car. Vaccination is about health and is a personal choice made freely by an individual after consulting a medical doctor.

Fewer taxes for the vaccinated and other incentives

Thomas Szekeres, the president of the Austrian medical board (ÖÄK) sided with the government’s narrative and argued for fewer taxes for the vaccinated.

To persuade more people to get the ‘Game changer’ vaccine, one brothel in Vienna offered brothel- bonuses worth thirty euros.

Mandatory vaccinations, prison sentences, and fines

“What’s happening in Austria is the reason why we cannot stand idly by and say nothing. As the fundamental values of a free society, democracy, freedom, bodily autonomy face an egregious assault.” – Mark Dolan

Despite being instrumental in creating the current regime, Kurz emphasized that nobody should be forced to take the vaccine against their own will.

Kurz who resigned as chancellor and head of the coalition government following allegations of bribery and corruption was replaced by Alexander Schallenberg whose cabinet proposed mandatory vaccinations with prison sentences and penalties as sanctions for those who refuse to get the government’s ‘Game changer.’

Calls for mandatory vaccinations were made earlier by the governor of the state of Styria, Hermann Schützenhöfer of the Conservative Party of Austria (ÖVP).

Michael Ludwig of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and current mayor of Vienna followed the narrative of the regime and imposed lockdowns and other restrictions throughout the capital. He was strongly criticized recently by restaurant owners who have suffered financial losses as a result of the lockdown.

Pamela Rendi-Wagner, the chairwoman of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) also followed the regime’s narrative and supported lockdowns and their prolongation and has even called for the mandatory wearing of masks by teachers and school children. Rendi-Wagner recently called for a €500 bonus for those who took a third jab.

Irmgard Griss who served as President of the Supreme Court argued for mandatory vaccinations. Griss is affiliated with the NEOS party.

Beate Meinl-Reisinger, chairwoman of the NEOS party also supported mandatory vaccinations and sided with the regime’s narrative.

In a press conference, Karoline Edtstadler, the minister for the constitution and a member of the ruling Conservative Party of Austria (ÖVP) stated that “We need to vaccinate today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.” Anyone with a reasonable mind will find her style while delivering this statement deeply disturbing.

In a recent interview with the Kronen Zeitung, one of Austria’s largest daily mainstream newspapers, Edtstadler said: “With the introduction of mandatory vaccinations, it is actually illegal to live in Austria and not be vaccinated. And this can have other consequences as well”. Edtstadler also said that an employer could terminate the employment if the employee remains unvaccinated.

Protests across Austria

Following waves of strong street protests in Vienna, Linz, Graz, and Klagenfurt, as well as criticism from Great Britain, the government backed down on its initial plan to introduce mandatory prison sentences for those who refused to take the regime’s ‘Game changer.’ Instead, the government now led by chancellor Karl Nehammer (Schallenberg resigned as chancellor following mass protests in Vienna), plans to introduce outrageous penalties of up to €7300 against those who refuse to take the government’s ‘game-changing’ vaccine.

Known for his heavy-handedness in dealing with those who broke the lockdown regulations and ordinances, Nehammer was strongly criticized for his failure to prevent the 2020 terrorist shootings in Vienna that claimed the lives of four people. According to media reports, Austria was warned by Slovak authorities of an imminent danger of a terrorist attack. The Austrian interior ministry failed to heed the warning.

Was Schallenberg’s resignation as chancellor a mild message to the government that they must finally listen to the people? Schallenberg’s resignation was followed by Gernot Blümel’s resignation as minister of finance and Heinz Faßmann’s resignation as minister of education. Both were replaced by other candidates.

The Freedom Party of Austria

“Austria has the most stupid, mendacious, and sadistic government in Europe.” – Herbert Kickl

One of the three largest political parties in the country, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) has been leading the opposition against the Corona regime in Austria since the very beginning. Its party leader, Herbert Kickl has become the voice of freedom and reason in the country.

Known for their outspokenness, Freedom Party leaders and MPs like Herbert Kickl, Dr. Dagmar Belakowitsch, Susanne Fürst, Christoph Steiner, and Michael Schnedlitz, and many others, have been working tirelessly to defend the freedoms and constitutional rights of all people living in Austria.

The Freedom Party strongly criticized the regime for the lockdowns and the measures it imposed.

Freedom Party politicians have warned of dividing the country and creating an apartheid of vaccinated and unvaccinated. They have called for a rational health policy and an end to the bizarre and sadistic measures imposed by the government.

In St. Pölten, the capital city of the state of Lower Austria (Niederösterreich), city council Klaus Otzelberger from the Freedom Party has called for unity and the cessation of discrimination against the unvaccinated. Otzelberger who himself is vaccinated has spoken strongly against mandatory vaccinations stating that he does not want his baby daughter to be forced to take the vaccine against her will one day. I have not heard similar courageous voices coming from city councils who are members of the SPÖ, ÖVP, NEOs, or the Greens.

The newly formed MFG Party

In 2021, a new party, the Austrian Freedom and Fundamental Rights Party (MFG) was created. The party is critical of the government regime and opposes mandatory vaccinations and discrimination against the unvaccinated. The party achieved 6.23% of the votes cast in the Upper Austrian state elections and is currently represented by three seats in the parliament of the state of Upper Austria.

MFG party chairman and attorney Michael Brunner said “It is not a vaccination, instead it is the injection of a gene-based experimental substance that does not protect against an infection with the virus nor the transmission of the virus. And since it is not a vaccination in the classical sense, it is not possible to prescribe a vaccination.”

Brunner further stated that “Any compulsion whether for healthcare or any other occupational group is against the law and violates our basic rights and freedoms.”

Political parties that supported or sided with the regime

Austria had been ruled for many decades by coalitions consisting of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and Conservatives (ÖVP) in coalitions described by some as ‘cozy’. While the ÖVP and the SPÖ were instrumental in building and modernizing the country after the end of the second world war, coalitions between the ÖVP and the SPÖ have been criticized for failing to introduce real reforms and for maintaining the status quo. Both parties especially the SPÖ, have been blamed for handling the mass migration wave of 2015.

When the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) decided for a vote of no confidence against the incumbent government, the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), the NEOS, and the Greens all sided with the regime and refused to support the Freedom Party in its move. Unless the current leaders of these parties resign from power, it is hard to believe who can still vote for them in an upcoming election.

Dissatisfaction, resentment, and resistance

“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” – Abraham Lincoln

The majority of people living in Austria are dissatisfied with the government and its policies. The waves of mass protests across the country show that people have had enough of the government and its ‘Game-changing’ vaccine and the queer measures and ordinances it forced upon them.

Strong criticism of the government has come from many parts of Austrian society. Medical doctors, nurses, hospital workers, police officers, entertainers, celebrities, business owners, and lawyers have voiced their dissatisfaction with the regime and its policies.

Famous Austrian actress Nina Proll strongly criticized the government for its policies and discrimination against the unvaccinated and described the 2-G measure of the government as ‘immoral and humanly reprehensible.’

Even members of the ruling Conservative Party (ÖVP) have voiced their concern and criticism of the regime with Christina Staffler, chairwoman of the JVP, the youth organization of the Conservative Party (ÖVP) resigning in protest against the discriminatory treatment of the unvaccinated.

The Austrian armed forces

Many members of the Austrian armed forces have voiced their criticism of mandatory vaccinations and the regime’s attempt to divide the country into those who are vaccinated and those who are not. Army officer Johann Gaiswinkler wrote: “I swore with all my power to protect the Republic of Austria and serve its people.” Many members of the armed forces share similar views.

Against medical ethics and common sense

Issues of public health cannot be decided by politicians or referendums but by medical doctors who have the patient’s interest as their highest priority. A doctor is required to consider every patient as a unique individual requiring special treatment and care. No doctor with a healthy conscience will administer a vaccine or a drug to a patient without considering the patient’s health history. No doctor will administer a vaccine to a patient knowing that it could cause side effects or even result in death. A doctor who fails to consider the patient’s health and the consequences of administering a vaccine commits a criminal offense punishable by law when the patient suffers harm.

Given the knowledge we know about the Coronavirus, the ineffectiveness of the mRNA vaccines that are available in preventing infections, the high number of side effects as well as the deaths resulting from the vaccine, it is hard to believe how the government can impose mandatory vaccinations.

Final thoughts

“Deceitful, inauthentic individual existence is the precursor to social totalitarianism.” – Viktor Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning

The regime created a cult around the Coronavirus unprecedented in Austrian history. The regime’s fanaticism is devoid of rationalism and ethics and has created an atmosphere of chaos, panic, and division. It has defied and undermined the rights of the people as enshrined in the Austrian constitution.

The government has failed to consider the medical opinions and views of other scientists and medical doctors placing all its trust in the prophets of doom scientists. It has failed to work with the opposition toward devising a rational health policy.

We cannot hope to build a civilization or the nobility of man upon compulsion, coercion, aggression, and deceit. We cannot allow fear and panic to dominate our lives.

The political language between the government, the opposition, and the people is becoming more aggressive. Unless the government resigns and new elections are called, the situation might escalate into a civil war.

The dystopia we currently live in offers us an unprecedented opportunity to reflect and contemplate as a nation. Similar to an individual, a nation goes through phases of positive and negative development.

Austrians have long been dissatisfied with the system and the status quo. The lack of real reforms, the pervasive corruption, and an overly bureaucratic and intimidating system prevented the economy from growing causing great dissatisfaction among people. This is evidenced by the rise of new political parties with different agendas and too many people going into politics promoting queer agendas that undermine traditional values and fail to address the important issues in society such as the eradication of poverty and the strengthening of the family.

Austrians will be devoid of common sense and judgment if they decide to vote in an upcoming election for any of the political parties that supported or sided with the regime. While the majority of Austrians are rooted in their political parties, Austrians need to realize that it is no longer about political colors or affiliations, but about the country’s future and the integrity of the political parties.

Austrians need to rebuild their country’s political and economic system from the ground up and restore the country’s image as a modern republic that upholds constitutional rights and the rule of law.

Austria’s economy needs to provide incentives for people to start successful businesses and find meaningful work. This requires reducing taxes and making the social security system business-friendly and free from intimidation.

Austria’s job market is in urgent need of reform to create job opportunities for people irrespective of their class or social background.

There is a need to open opportunities for citizens to pursue careers with the state. This can be achieved by removing the requirements to satisfy silly and degrading tests that are required when applying for state jobs. An individual’s abilities and qualifications cannot be judged by some test but by the individual’s education, achievements, personal integrity, and motivation.

Are Austrians going to elect political parties that have supported totalitarianism or are they going to elect the political parties that stood up for freedom and constitutional rights? Are they going to elect career politicians with queer agendas or true people’s representatives who work for the good of the country and its people?

The current dystopia we live in is a wake-up call for all Austrians. Although I am not a believer in political parties and the parliamentary system, I hope that Austrians will vote this time for a coalition government consisting of both the Freedom Party and the MFG. Both the Freedom Party and the MFG need to work together to reform, unite, and heal a divided country and serve the interests of all people living in Austria.

The Author

Born in Vienna, M. M. Elghusein, J.D. read the law in England and the United States. He is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of The New Jurist.

Article Picture: 12019 / 10255 via Pixabay