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Austria is still in lockdown until January 24, then the government wants to get the Corona numbers under control with a new testing strategy. “The next few months until sufficient Austrians are vaccinated will still be challenging. The goal is that in the phase after the lockdown, with as many tests as possible, the incidence of infection will be kept under control as much as possible,” explains Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
The Federal government has agreed with the SPÖ on the new testing strategy. After the lockdown, it will once again be possible to attend events and go on vacation with a negative test result. The social partners and the federal states agree with this approach and have already given their OK. However, the gastronomy and retail sectors are apparently exempt.
“Two things essential: vaccinating and testing”.
“To get through the next few months safely, two things are essential: vaccinating and testing. This makes it all the more important for the government, the federal states, the trade union, the chamber of commerce and the social democrats to agree on the cornerstones of a new testing strategy for this period after the lockdown,” says SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner. According to the SP chairwoman, testing would have to go to people’s “homes and businesses.”
Living room tests, tests in companies and targeted access tests, such as to protect nursing homes, are important to “keep infections under control in the country,” she said. According to Rendi-Wagner, three steps are also necessary now: “First, a proper law. The SPÖ will examine the draft closely. Second, a social partner agreement. And third, federal support for the states in implementing the new strategy.”
“entry tests” apply everywhere
But what do these “entry tests” actually look like after the “hard lockdown” in Austria, and where will they apply everywhere from January 25? The “entry tests” will be used primarily for access to the following areas:
➤ Visitors to old people’s and nursing homes and hospitals.
➤ Events (cultural, sports, etc.) above a certain event size (20 people)
➤ Tourism / hotels
Persons who cannot show a negative test upon entry that is less than 48 hours old are not allowed entry. Exceptions are made for recovered covid cases who have been shown to be infected in the past three months. Operators or event organizers are responsible for inspection.
Regular corona testing for gastronomy, trade and co.
Certain occupational groups will be tested weekly in the future to ensure broad, regular testing of the working population. Individuals in the defined occupational groups who do not undergo weekly testing will be required to wear an FFP2 mask.
The following occupational groups will be scheduled for regular testing:
➤ Hairdressers and body-related services.
➤ Gastronomy – personnel with customer contact
➤ Tourism – personnel with customer contact
➤ Trade – direct customer contact
➤ Transportation – all personnel with passenger contact
➤ Warehouse logistics
➤ Sports facilities, fitness and dance studios with customer contact
➤ Health care sector: all occupations with regular patient contact
- Homes for the elderly and nursing homes: testing twice a week (already regulated)
➤ Teachers and elementary educators
➤ Public service (federal, state, and municipal) and organizations with regular contact with citizens
- with reports from krone.at/heute.at and orf: Zeit im Bild/Picture: pixabay.com
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