A brothel in Vienna, Austria, is offering its customers COVID-19 vaccinations and also is providing people who get vaccinated vouchers for a free session with a “lady of their choice.”
“Funpalast brothel in Vienna offers clients a 30-minute session in the sexual ‘sauna club’ with the ‘lady of their choice’ if they get the vaccine at the on-site clinic,” reported The Daily Mail. “The brothel said the project, which started on November 1, is part of a drive to increase revenue after a fall in the number of clients because of low vaccination rates.”
“Vaccines will be on offer every Monday from 4pm to 10pm through the month of November in an effort to encourage men to get the jab in exchange for a sauna club voucher worth 40 euros,” The Daily Mail continued. “Boys as young as 14 are reportedly allowed to use the clinic, provided they are accompanied by an adult.”
“Due to the pandemic, we have registered a 50 per cent decrease [in clients], with this initiative we hope that the number of customers will rise again,” the brothel announced.
This move follows the implementation of social distancing requirements imposed in Austria on Monday, barring unvaccinated people from various public areas, such as large events, cafes, and restaurants.
Last month, Austria’s chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said that unvaccinated people in Austria could face lockdown restrictions if COVID-19 case numbers continue to increase.
“Austria has taken a series of measures in recent weeks in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 and encourage more people to get vaccinated. On Monday, new rules took effect barring unvaccinated people who haven’t recovered from an infection from restaurants, hotels, hairdressing salons and large public events,” reported The Associated Press.
And on Thursday, with cases of COVID-19 rising in the country, the chancellor threatened the use of lockdown measures for unvaccinated people. He said that a lockdown for unvaccinated people was “probably unavoidable.” He also added that the unvaccinated are facing an “uncomfortable” winter and Christmas.
“I don’t see why two-thirds should lose their freedom because one-third is dithering,” Schallenberg said. “For me, it is clear that there should be no lockdown for the vaccinated out of solidarity for the unvaccinated.”
Austrian authorities are also considering a vaccine mandate for some groups, with the chancellor describing the country’s vaccination rate of 65% as “shamefully low.”
“According to the incremental plan we actually have just days until we have to introduce the lockdown for unvaccinated people,” Schallenberg told a news conference, according to Reuters. “A lockdown for the unvaccinated means one cannot leave one’s home unless one is going to work, shopping (for essentials), stretching one’s legs — namely exactly what we all had to suffer through in 2020.”
According to the latest available data, Austria is experiencing its highest 7-day average case rate since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. On November 11, the 7-day average was up to 9,593 cases.