Austrian lawmakers pass Europe’s strictest COVID-19 vaccine mandate

(CNN) — Austria’s parliament has approved the European Union’s strictest Covid-19 vaccine mandate, making it compulsory for the country’s residents over the age of 18 to get the shot.

The law goes into effect February 1, however Austrian officials will only begin conducting checks to see if the mandate is being adhered to from March 15. Starting then, those without a vaccine certificate or an exemption could be fined as much as $685 (600 euro).

According to the Austrian Health Ministry’s website, pregnant people and those who cannot be vaccinated without endangering their health are exempt from the law. People who are recovering from a Covid-19 infection are also exempt for 180 days from the date they received their first positive PCR Covid-19 test.

This is a developing story. More details to come.

This story was first published on CNN.com, “Austrian lawmakers pass Europe’s strictest Covid-19 vaccine mandate.”