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Exit restrictions, closed trade, distance learning, and a mandatory FFP2 mask indoors: corona measures for Vienna, Lower Austria, and in Burgenland are being tightened.
An “Easter rest”, distance learning, PCR tests, a FFP2 mask obligation indoors: the governors of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland, Michael Ludwig (SPÖ), Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) and Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ), as well as Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Grüne) hope, after a marathon of negotiations, that these measures will be able to contain the number of infections with the coronavirus or one of its mutants:
“We are in a very difficult situation in Europe,” with these words Anschober opened the press conference at 19:30. One is currently “in the third wave, 19 EU member states have strongly increasing numbers, including Austria.” It is therefore all the more important, on the one hand, to bring the numbers down again in general and, on the other hand, to prevent intensive care units in hospitals from being overloaded. The latter is currently to be feared in eastern Austria in particular. The main reason: the more infectious, “dynamic” British variant of the coronavirus.
The forecasters assumed that nothing will change so quickly – on the contrary: In the next two weeks, the numbers in Vienna in particular are likely to continue to rise and thus the load limit of the wards will be reached or exceeded. This gloomy outlook and the desire “that it does not come to these hard triages”, they had negotiated very intensively in the past 24 hours, “but not argued”, as Anschober emphasized.
“I am glad that we have taken back the opening steps,” Anschober emphasized, even if he himself would have liked to take a seat in a guest garden. However, he said, the time was not yet ripe for that, but for three other steps: reducing social contacts, massively further expanding testing and increased use of FFP2 masks. In concrete terms, this means that there will be a “cool down”, a “break in the waves”, in eastern Austria from April 1 to 6.
The measures from Maundy Thursday through Easter, that is, from April 1 to April 6:
1) Body-related service providers will have to close,
2) Trade will be closed except vital areas (pharmacy, food),
3) FFP2 masks mandatory for outdoor crowds.
4) More checks on commuters from risk areas – two tests per week and stronger checks at the border,
5) FFP2 mask requirement in enclosed spaces where more than one person is present,
6) In-house testing once a week or home office,
7) Distance learning in the days after Easter vacations and gradual PCR testing in schools.
8) Beginning April 7, 2021 access tests are required for trade,
9) Curfew just like during Christmas: Curfew is again from 0-24 with the usual exceptions (assistance, basic needs, provision of basic goods, health services, professional purposes, etc).
In a week, there will be another evaluation, says Anschober. “Eastern Austria is a pilot region, this could easily come to other provinces as well.”
- from the LIVE Press conference of the three Federal governors. Report will be updated! sources: orf TV, diepresse.at/picture: screenshot orf Zeit im Bild
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