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The South African version has arrived in Austria, the British variant is spreading. Tougher rules apply from tomorrow. An overview.
FFP2 mask requirement and the two-meter distance – Numbers of Covid infections remain high: 1626 new infections were reported yesterday, another 59 people have died.
One reason for the low effectiveness of the collective hibernation may be the British mutation that is spreading in Austria – and this is, as reported, not only far more infectious, but according to the latest findings probably even more deadly. This was announced by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday evening. The scientific advisor to the British government, Patrick Vallance, explained that if the previous variant was based on the assumption that ten out of every 1,000 people aged 60 would die, the new variant would cause around 13 or 14 deaths. Other British experts debunked the statement – saying it was too early to prove higher mortality, but yes, there was “evidence” to suggest that.
South African mutation is now in Austria
A mutation has also reportedly been found in South Africa that has strong similarities to the British one. And this one is also starting to spread. In recent days, for example, it has been detected in Cuba, Panama – and in the Tyrolean Zillertal valley. Specifically, the mutation was present in five positive PCR samples – mostly related to a cluster in Hochfügen – the province of Tyrol announced yesterday. Corresponding confirmations of the AGES were already available. Affected are among others employees of the cable cars there.
How the South African variant came to Tyrol, one did not know yesterday yet. It was first detected in a person at Vienna’s Schwechat airport at the end of December.
Government, experts, countries and opposition
Meanwhile, the government will continue its talks tomorrow on how to proceed. They will start with consultations with experts, followed by those with the state governors and the opposition. The goal is to share the current state of knowledge with everyone. But how to proceed after February 8 will not yet be discussed, it said.
Recently, as reported, the indications that the reopening date will probably not hold. Because an end of the hard lockdown was coupled to a seven-day incidence of 50. This refers to the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days. Yesterday, this was 119.2 in Austria.
The problem is that above a certain number of new infections per day, testing, tracing and isolation no longer work – and the chances of keeping the pandemic under control dwindle. And because it literally always rains where it is already wet, the Austrian vaccination schedule is wobbling because AstraZeneca is having delivery problems.
— with reports from krone.at/picture: pixabay.com
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