Do COVID vaccine mandates like Austria's actually work? Early research suggests they do

The world is two years into the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly a fifth of adults in the European Union still aren't fully vaccinated against the virus.

After a rapid take-up of first and second doses in mid-2021, the vaccination rate (with the exception of boosters) has slowed, according to information from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

This has left European governments scrambling to get jabs into the arms of people who are eligible but have chosen not to take them. In January, Austria's parliament took the most radical step yet, approving controversial measures that would make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for most adults, starting from February 1.

The move follows proof of vaccination mandates in countries like France, Germany and Italy, where COVID-19 passes control access to public transport, leisure activities and even the ability to work in some industries like health and social care.

But when governments put mandates like these in place, what actually happens to the vaccination rate?

Canada's provinces began introducing vaccine requirements last year, starting with Quebec on August 5.

A pre-print study by economists at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia - which has not yet been peer-reviewed - found that as provinces announced new proof-of-vaccination mandates, the number of people getting jabbed went up.

As each province made its announcement separately, the researchers were able to identify peaks in first doses that matched with the announcement of stricter vaccination requirements.

"Generally speaking, as economists, we think that it is natural to expect that stronger incentives to become vaccinated would, on average and all else equal, lead to an increase in uptake," study