COVID-19 updates: Austria orders nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated residents

Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced that all residents over the age of 12 who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 will be under lockdown starting at midnight Monday. They will only be allowed out of their homes under exceptional circumstances, which include to work, buy essentials or to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

During a press conference on Sunday, Schallenberg said additional police officers would be on patrol to control the lockdown and that unvaccinated residents could be fined up to $1,660 if they do not adhere to the restrictions.

Austria is in the middle of a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, which the government attributes to the highly contagious delta variant as well as low vaccination rates.

As of Sunday, the landlocked Central European country had 11,707 newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19. Of those, 2,327 were hospitalized and 433 were in intensive care units. According to Austria's Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, 65% of the country's 9 million people are fully vaccinated.

-ABC News' Christine Theodorou

Geer Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Canaan, Connecticut, said Friday that eight of its residents have died from COVID.

The nursing home said an outbreak began on Sept. 30, infecting 22 staff members and 67 residents. Sixty-nine of the infected have already recovered, according to nursing home officials. The eight residents who died had serious underlying health issues, officials said.

In a statement, chief executive Kevin O’Connell and nursing director Cady Bloodgood said, "While we must continue with Covid-19 prevention protocols, we want to assure everyone we are doing our best to keep residents and staff safe. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates for residents, staff, families, and community stakeholders as the situation changes."

Aaron Rodgers has been taken off the NFL's COVID-19 list and cleared to play, the Green Bay Packers announced Saturday afternoon. The quarterback was also added to the injury report (toe) and not given a game-status designation, but will lead the Packers into Sunday's game against Seattle, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"It's been going great," Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said this week about Rodgers, according to ESPN. "Communication's been there. He's been in every meeting. He's been engaged. So, it's just he's not with his guys out on the field."

Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 3 and was required to undergo a 10-day quarantine. The Packers, Rodgers and receiver Allen Lazard were all fined for violations of the protocols that were jointly agreed upon by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, ESPN reported.

As COVID-19 cases increase across the country, at least four states are moving to recommend booster shots for all adults ahead of federal authorization.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order on Thursday declaring the entire state at high risk from COVID-19, thereby making all fully vaccinated adults eligible to receive a booster shot.

"We want to ensure that Coloradans have every tool they need to protect themselves from this deadly virus and to help reduce the stress on our hospitals and health care workers," Polis said in a statement.

Every Coloradan ages 18 and up who is at least six months past the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, or two months past the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, can now receive a booster shot.

"I was relieved to get the booster two weeks ago," Polis said, "and strongly encourage you to get it too."

On Friday, the governor of New Mexico issued a similar order, and officials in California and West Virginia have previously encouraged residents to receive a booster shot.

Meanwhile, Pfizer asked the Federal Drug Administration for booster authorization for all adults on Tuesday.