A week ago, Austria announced restrictions on people who are not vaccinated or protected because of prior infections, barring them from cafes, restaurants, pubs, theaters, gyms and hairdressers.
And the lines at vaccination centers have grown.
Last Saturday, the day after Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced the changes, nearly 40,000 people received a shot. The week before that, when only a negative rapid test was required to partake in all aspects of society, less than half as many stood in line.
On Thursday, more than 78,000 Austrians got a shot, a number not seen since July.
With just 65 percent of its population fully vaccinated, Austria has one of the weakest vaccination rates in Western Europe. But it is finally seeing a willingness that the authorities could not coax through advertising or positive reinforcement.
Besides the new rules, a spike in infections is contributing to the growing interest in a vaccine that has been available for free for months.
On Thursday, the country reported 3,143 new infections, just below a record set the day before. Two states, Salzburg and Upper Austria, announced partial lockdown measures on unvaccinated adults on Friday, and a nationwide order may be announced on Sunday after a special meeting of Parliament.
On Friday, the German foreign ministry put most of Austria back on a list of high-risk countries, meaning unvaccinated travelers from Austria have to quarantine for 10 days on arrival in Germany.
