Similar to many if not most other European countries the Austria government decided to place its population under another lockdown beginning November 3, 2020, lockdown no. 2 in 2020. If the first lockdown was justified is debatable. What is not debatable is the enforcement of lockdown 2 and 3 (which is said to begin Dec 26, 2020), for various reasons.

For one, lockdown 1 has been ruled by the Austria courts as illegal. For example being prohibited of the right to enter large shops, stores (over 400 m²; forced lockdown of certain businesses) as well as being prohibited to enter parks and public places were ruled by the highest Austrian courts as a violation of the law (Anwälte klären auf, VfgH).

Two, plenty of research on the effects  of the first lockdown in spring of 2020 are available and have been published not only on the failing success rate of lockdowns but also on the unintended adverse social, economic and health effects of a lockdown. Research databases are filled with scientific studies showing the detrimental effects of lockdown on mental health and depression, spousal and child abuse, learning outcome, suicide rates, addiction, financial hardship and poverty, and increasing non-CoVid-19 related illnesses (for exp. stroke, cancer), to just name a few.Continue reading→