Austria in the corona loosening race: lockdown for the unvaccinated falls – disco opening is imminent

Despite Omikron: The lockdown for the unvaccinated ends in Austria. Chancellor Karl Nehammer announces further relaxation of the corona virus. A minister demands even more. The pandemic in the Alpine republic in the news ticker.

Update from January 31, 3:12 p.m .: In Austria, 27,411 new corona infections were recorded within 24 hours, the health and interior ministries announced on Monday. The 7-day incidence is currently 2,537.6 (previous day: 2,504.4). Tyrol has the highest value with 3,235.6, followed by Vorarlberg (2,917.1) and Vienna (2,894.1). The incidence is lowest in Burgenland (2,086.4) and in Lower Austria (2,087.1). This is according to data from the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES).

Lockdown for unvaccinated people in Austria over

Update from January 31, 11:09 a.m .: The lockdown for unvaccinated people in Austria is history from this Monday (January 31). Those who have not been vaccinated can move freely again without fear of punishment. People who have not yet received a corona vaccine are now allowed to exercise outdoors or visit friends again without a good reason.

However, this change does not mean major easing for unvaccinated people in Austria. The 2G rule still applies in large parts of public life. Unvaccinated people are still not allowed to visit events and restaurants. Access for shops that do not deal with everyday needs also remains taboo. However, further relaxation of the 2G rule is to be gradually implemented in February. From February 12, the 2G rule for retail is to fall. From February 19th, the 3G rule will apply again in gastronomy and tourism.

Austria in the Corona relaxation race: Minister wants to reopen discos

Update from January 30, 8:30 p.m .: Austria has been in a real relaxation race for days in the coronavirus pandemic. Always pointing out that despite the Omicron, the load on the clinics and intensive care units is moderate. In the Corona crisis, the focus is once again on gastronomy. The curfew for restaurants, pubs and taverns is to be pushed back from 10 p.m. to midnight from February 5th.

But that’s not all. Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) also brings an early reopening of night gastronomy into the debate. She also hopes for a perspective for night gastronomy and for the big events in the next few weeks, the minister said at the weekend.

Corona pandemic in Austria: loosening coming – gastro curfew should be later

Update from January 30, 5:15 p.m .: Austria is changing the rules in the corona virus pandemic, despite Omicron and the high number of infections. Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) announced further easing from February 5 after the end of the lockdown for the unvaccinated. The curfew in the catering trade is to be pushed back from 10 p.m. to midnight. But that’s not all.

Now the Constitutional Court (VfGH) has also intervened. As several media reports, the court wants to know from the Federal Ministry of Health how justified measures such as the lockdown or the 2G rule were. By February 18, the judges will ask the ministry for answers to ten questions. The Constitutional Court had previously received a number of complaints against the federal government’s Corona regulations.

Corona pandemic in Austria: high number of infections, situation in hospitals stable

Update from January 30, 4:05 p.m .: Austria continues to record high numbers of infections in the corona pandemic. The situation in the intensive care units and in the hospitals, i.e. the hospitals, is stable, according to several media reports. According to this, 21,127 new infections with the corona virus were registered in the Alpine Republic on Saturday.

Compared to Germany, this number would have to be multiplied by ten or at least nine by inhabitants. According to the daily newspaper ÖSTERREICH – as of Saturday – 1,448 Covid patients were in the hospitals between Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Graz. 177 corona patients were therefore treated in intensive care units. Within a week, the number of corona patients in intensive care fell by 15.

Corona pandemic in Austria: 2G obligation in bars and hotels ends on February 19th

Update from January 30th, 11.06 a.m .: oe24.at provides further details about the new relaxation phased plan (see previous update) . As already reported, the 2G obligation in pubs and hotels should end on February 19. The Austrian portal notes that there are no holidays in “Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate and other German federal states” on this day.

“Tourism companies are hoping for a turbo,” it writes. The report goes on to say that if a PCR test is not available, unvaccinated people could also present a negative antigen test that was no more than 24 hours old.

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Corona loosening: Austria moves gastro curfew to the rear

Update from January 29, 4.30 p.m .: Despite the high number of infections, the clinics in Austria are not heavily burdened. This is now prompting the Austrian government to relax further corona measures. As recently as Friday, individual federal states had pushed for an end to the curfew and trade associations for an end to 2G in retail. Federal Minister of Health Mückstein only wanted to tackle further easing after the expected peak of the omicron wave in ten to twelve days.

Now the turning point on Saturday: Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) announces a withdrawal of measures:

Austria: Important corona measures are apparently to be postponed

First report from January 28, 3:19 p.m.:

Vienna – The deadline in Austria is February 1, 2022. From this date, the validity of the Corona* vaccination after the second dose will be reduced from nine to six months in Austria. In neighboring Austria, around 490,000 people are affected by the rule, reports oe24.at. Anyone who cannot show a booster by Tuesday will no longer have a valid 2G certificate from Tuesday (February 2nd). Since 60,000 vaccination certificates would expire anyway according to the old rule – nine months – a total of 550,000 people would be affected, the Austrian online portal calculates. Two weeks ago there were still 897,000 people.

In the meantime, many have obviously gotten a booster. According to the Ministry of Health, they were informed via the green passport app via a push message about the expiry of the vaccination certificate. However, those who have deactivated their push setting will not notice it.

Austria: Deadline for expiration of vaccination certificates could be postponed

The expiration date on February 1, 2022 is apparently on the brink, as the ORF reports. The deadline may be postponed or a transitional period introduced. The Ministry of Health said that the question was “in the final vote”. More information should be available on Friday afternoon. The national crisis coordination (GECKO) is also dealing with the postponement of the deadline.

Recently there has been a lot of criticism of the deadline. There will be an exception for under 18s from February 1st. Their vaccination certificate is valid for 210 days – i.e. seven months after the first vaccination series. The vaccination certificate after the booster vaccination is still valid for 270 days – nine months. And exactly: On February 1st, the law on compulsory vaccination will also come into force in Austria.

Despite Omicron: relaxation of the corona measure in Austria

For unvaccinated people in Austria, the lockdown will end next Monday (January 31). Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) promised further easing of the corona measures. Meanwhile, in the Alpine republic, the 2G rule applies in so-called non-essential trade and the curfew of 10 p.m. in gastronomy. But these strict corona rules should fall as soon as possible.

The curfew has long been a thorn in the side of the tourism industry. Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Salzburg are pushing for an end to the curfew, Austrian media reports. The ÖVP state governors and the trade association are also insisting on an end to 2G in retail. According to a voice from Tyrol, unvaccinated people should be able to go shopping again. Because for the unvaccinated, the lockdown continues due to the 2G rule in retail and gastronomy.

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Omicron wave in Austria – incidence at 2,381

Meanwhile, omicron is rampant in Austria*. 38,631 new coronavirus infections have been recorded in the past 24 hours. This is announced by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Interior. The nationwide incidence is 2,381.2 (previous day: 2,264.5). Tyrol has the highest value with 3,130.4 (previous day: 3,066.6), followed by Vienna with 2,841.1 (previous day: 2,781.1). The 7-day incidence is lowest in Lower Austria (1,908.2) and in Burgenland (1,958.4).

According to Federal Health Minister Wolfgang Mückenstein (Greens), the omicron peak is reached in ten to twelve days. Mückstein, as he said on ORF on Thursday evening, only wants to relax the measures afterwards, depending on the forecast.

Schools in Austria at the limit because of Omikron

The Omicron wave has hit Austria’s schools. In the case of five to 14-year-olds, the incidence is currently 4,7071, as can be found at oe.42.at. According to the Ministry of Education, 2,600 classes and nine schools have switched to distance learning. Face-to-face teaching would take place in 95 percent of the classes. With the PCR tests, the countries are now reaching their limits. The number of positive tests is increasing rapidly. Each individual sample must then be examined again individually in the pool of ten tests.

In Vienna, the PCR tests* at the schools are evaluated via the “Everything gurgelt” program. It is the only federal state that conducts PCR tests at least twice a week. In the school tests between January 17th and 22nd, 6,732 students tested positive for Corona. 387 Corona cases were detected among teachers and school staff, reports standard.at . According to a spokesman, the number almost doubled compared to the previous week. According to the federal capital Vienna, there are 92,347 active cases as of January 27th. (ml)

Europe: Corona rules overview: loosen or lockdown? This is how fundamentally different Europe treats Omikron*. *Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA

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