Austria back into lockdown as Europe struggles with COVID-19

As of Monday Austria has launched a COVID-19 lockdown, closing down shops, restaurants and holiday markets as the number of new coronavirus cases surges across Europe.

A man takes photographs in a deserted square at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, Austria, Monday, Nov. 22, 2021.

The Alpine nation is also imposing a sweeping vaccine mandate from Feb. 1, one of few places in the world to announce such a step so far.

People walk down a high street decorated with Christmas lights in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

Shops, restaurants and festive markets were shuttered on Nov. 22, while its 8.9 million people are not allowed to leave home with few exceptions such as going to work, shopping for essentials and exercising as virus cases are surging.

Two people walk through a closed Christmas market on the first day of a nationwide lockdown in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

Seats of a closed cafe are seen in a street as the Austrian government imposed its fourth national coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A vendor covers a newsstand with a plastic sheet on a shopping street in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A woman walks through the closed Christmas market in front of the Viennese city hall on the first day of a nationwide lockdown in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A sign reading "Sorry, we're closed" is seen in the window of a shop in Salzburg, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A tour organizer informs customers about their closure in Salzburg, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A man on a scooter gives way to a city tram on Ring street, normally packed with cars and people, in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A woman walks past closed Christmas market booths next to Saint Stephen's cathedral, a place normally packed with crowds of people, in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

People walk past a closed boutique store on the Graben, a street in the city center of Vienna that is normally packed with crowds of people, in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A woman walks past a closed boutique store on the Graben, a street in the city center of Vienna that is normally packed with crowds of people, in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

People walk past a closed jewelry store on the Graben, a street in the city center of Vienna that is normally packed with crowds of people, in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A statue of the late emperor Francis Joseph I standing outside the Albertina art gallery overlooks the State Opera in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A masked chef arranges pots in the window of a luxury bakery in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

People walk past rental bicycles outside of State Opera, in the city center of Vienna normally packed with crowds of people, in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A woman walks along Schonbrunner street, normally packed with cars, in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

A shopper looks in the window of a closed Apple Inc. store with no products on display in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.

People walk through Karlsplatz passage, normally packed with crowds of people, in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 22, 2021.