Austria will remain in lockdown for even longer: as the government confirmed at a press conference on Sunday morning, the lockdown will remain in place until at least February 7 and will not end on January 24 as originally planned. Also come further tightening such as a FFP2 mask obligation.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) argued the extension is due to the spread of the British variant of the virus, which is likely to be much more contagious than the current form.
“We still have two to three tough months ahead of us, openings at the moment would be recklessness, if not negligence.”
? Rules are still being tightened during the lockdown:
▶️ Starting January 25, FFP2 masks will be mandatory in retail stores and on public transportation, and the distance rule will be extended to two meters. The FFP2 masks are to be offered at cost price in food retail stores.
▶️ The aim is for all stores, body-related service providers such as hairdressers and museums to be allowed to reopen under strict conditions from February 8, he said.
▶️ Tourism and gastro are to remain closed until the end of February in any case, mid-February is to be evaluated and a decision made as to whether an opening in March is possible.
▶️ Students will also have to remain at home, the start of face-to-face classes will be postponed: Distance Learning will remain until the semester break, after which there will be shift work. Vienna and Lower Austria will start face-to-face teaching from February 8. Upper Austria and Styria are moving the semester break forward by one week, so Tyrol and the remaining provinces will start on-site classes on February 15.
— hector pascua, source: press conference of the federal government, 11 AM January 17, 2021/picture: pixabay.com
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