Today, the Austrian government held initial, positive talks with the social partners, the medical association and the scientific community on corona mass tests and screenings.
The federal government’s plan to carry out broad-based mass testing – following the Slovakian model – and targeted screenings has met with broad support. The free and voluntary tests are intended to accompany the planned relaxation steps after the second lockdown (e.g. opening of schools) and also to help reduce the incidence of infections in preparation for Christmas and the time after Christmas.
This should make it possible for the Austrians to celebrate Christmas at least in a small circle and prevent another lockdown in the new year. Especially low-income families should benefit from the free testing.
Further details of the planned mass tests are not yet known. SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner is of the opinion that mass tests only make sense if they are repeated regularly. “With rapid tests, there can also be ‘false negatives’ because they do not indicate infection during the incubation period,” says Rendi-Wagner, herself a physician.
According to this, there should be a corona test “every five to ten days” for risk groups or people working with risk groups. The same is to apply to people who have a lot of contact with other people, for example in hospitals and nursing homes, schools, restaurants and tourism.
- hp, with reports from heute.at. Picture: pixabay.com
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