COVID-19: Austria coronavirus lockdown feels not just like a health crisis, but also a cultural, social and political storm

On Saturday, the streets of Vienna were packed with shoppers. Today, they were quiet, if not deserted. Yes, this is lockdown, but it isn't quite the eerie emptiness of 18 months ago. Instead, the Austrian capital feels like it's closed for business. The clothes shops, the ice rinks and, of course, the Christmas markets. All shut. Maria Fridrichovsky normally sells chestnuts in one of the markets. She told me she is 'angry' at what has happened, bemused that only 65% of the Austrian population is vaccinated against COVID. 'I feel very sad because the companies are closed down,' she said. 'We sell chestnuts and potatoes to the people. It should be lovely here at Christmas. 'But now it's so hard - many people are calling up by telephone - what can I do? What can I tell them? It's so sad.'