Vienna [Austria], November 14 (ANI/Xinhua): Austria will start from Monday to impose a lockdown on those who have not been vaccinated, the Austrian government announced on Sunday.

"We have decided with a heavy heart to take this step," Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said after a cabinet meeting on Sunday.

Also Read | Work-Life Balance: Portugal Makes It Illegal for Bosses to E-Mail, Text Their Employees Out of Work Hours.

According to Schallenberg, unvaccinated individuals above the age of 12 will be prohibited from leaving their homes except for basic activities such as working, shopping or doing exercises, while those under 12 will not be affected.

The lockdown, currently limited to 10 days, is expected to affect 2 million Austrians in the country of 8.9 million people, and the police have been asked to check people outside to make sure they are vaccinated, Schallenberg said.

Also Read | Thanksgiving 2021: Rising Inflation in The US Likely to Put a Dent on Consumer’s Wallet During Upcoming Festive Season.

"Now we have to do everything we can to raise the embarrassingly low vaccination rate. With the vaccination rate we have now, we will never get out of the vicious circle," Schallenberg said.

In Austria, 65 percent of citizens are currently fully vaccinated, and such a vaccination rate is among the lowest in Western European countries.

Austria recorded 11,552 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, following the record high on Saturday when 13,152 new cases were reported. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, over 11,700 people have died in Austria as a result. (ANI/Xinhua)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)