Norbert Nowotny, virologist at Vetmeduni Vienna, believes that the measures against the CoV pandemic, which will come into force in Germany next week, would “fit us perfectly”. In “Wien heute” (ORF 2) he said last night: “I know this is restrictive, but necessary. Initial restrictions such as those being introduced in France and the Czech Republic were perhaps “not yet necessary”, the expert said.
In Germany, theaters, operas, concert halls, trade fairs, cinemas, amusement parks and amusement arcades will have to close for four weeks starting on November 2. Recreational sports will be stopped in November, and sports facilities and swimming pools will have to close as well as fitness studios. Hairdressers will be allowed to continue working, but nail and tattoo studios will not. Medically necessary treatments, such as physiotherapy, will remain possible. Travel should be reduced to a minimum.
Nowotny pointed out that the criterion is not to reach the limits of the capacity of intensive care beds. The current development – yesterday almost 4,500 new cases were reported throughout Austria – bodes “nothing good” in two weeks: one in 100 newly infected patients is expected to be treated in an intensive care unit within two and a half to three weeks.
The virologist pleaded for implementing measures similar to those in Germany as quickly as possible. He hoped that a referral to the main committee would not cause major delays. Within four weeks, the number of new infections could be reduced to less than 1,000, Nowotny said. “Significantly less would be better,” he said.
Linz expert: Partial lockdown would have great effect
Intensive care medicine is “no longer very far” from its capacity limit due to the sharp rise in Covid-19 diseases, said CoV expert Bernd Lamprecht from Linz yesterday in ZIB2. Measures to curb the development of infections are necessary. A “modified, differentiated lockdown” – with open schools and workplaces, but prevention of leisure contacts through restrictions in evening and nightlife – could “have a great effect”.
hp, Source: orf.at. Picture: pixabay.com
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