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Will Austria require the Covid green pass in workplaces? 

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Will Austria require the Covid green pass in workplaces? 
Should workplaces such as offices, hospitality and construction sites in Austria be subject to the 3G rule? Photo by Maxime on Unsplash

Workplaces in Austria could soon be restricted to those vaccinated, recovered from the virus or who have tested negative.

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Austria is considering expanding the 3G rule further.

According to the plan, the 3G rule could be required at work, in which people will have to show they have been vaccinated, recovered from Covid-19 or present a recent negative Covid-19 test in the workplace.

This requirement will soon be in place in neighbouring Italy, while other countries have brought it in place in specific industries. 

Broadcaster ORF reports the Ministry of Health is “quite open” to this measure in order to increase the vaccination rate, and relieve the intensive care units.

The trade union (ÖGB) also confirmed this measure was under discussion in the daily newspaper “Osterreich 24”, and said there were talks at the social partner level.

An ÖGB spokeswoman said she was "positive about this project," and added it would mean a "3-G" certificate for work in general, not just in offices. In Italy, the announcement of the “3-G rule” in the workplace caused vaccination rates to skyrocket, according to broadcaster ORF.

‘3G Rule’: How to prove you have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from Covid in Austria

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Austria lagging EU on vaccines

The decision comes as Austria's vaccination rate continues to lag. 

Austria has fallen significantly behind the EU average in vaccinations for the first time, where 66 percent of people have had at least one dose of a vaccine against Covid-19. In Austria it is just 59.9 percent.

The front runners are Portugal, Malta and Spain, where four out of five residents have already received a vaccination.

However the number of first vaccinations given has increased slightly. Last week, 54,202 people were vaccinated for the first time – 3,000 more than the week before.

At the lowest point of the vaccination campaign in mid-August, there were only 36,754 first vaccinations given in one week, Der Standard newspaper reports. 

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