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Austria – Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) has urgently appealed to all citizens to get vaccinated against the corona virus. This is because the infection figures will soon rise again in Austria as well, he said in New York on Sunday evening (local time). “The virus will not disappear, it will stay. It will keep us busy for years to come,” Kurz said. He made it known at the same time that he received his second Astrazeneca vaccine dose a few days ago.
“For anyone who has been vaccinated, the pandemic is over. For everyone who is not vaccinated, the virus is a massive problem,” the chancellor warned in an interview with Austrian journalists. An increase in the number of infections, as recently in southern Europe or the Netherlands, “will also happen here,” he said. After a year and a half of experience with the coronavirus, in fact, he said, we know that “this pandemic comes in waves.”
Compared to previous waves, however, there is now vaccination as a “gamechanger,” Kurz said. This also protects against all previous variants, including the delta variant. He himself asks “every day” whether there is a mutation that is not covered by the vaccination, he assured.
Kurz had only recently emphasized personal responsibility in dealing with the pandemic. Now he made it clear that the federal government had an interest in as many vaccinated people in Austria as possible. The government is working with the federal states to “create a very low-threshold offer” to reach people who want to be vaccinated without registering. Cooperation with associations such as the volunteer fire department is also planned.
Kurz is apparently not thinking about financial incentives for vaccinations. “So far, we have relied on vaccinating those who want to be vaccinated,” the chancellor answered a corresponding question from APA. If the number of infections rises again, he assumes that the vaccination offer will also be accepted by those people who had previously hoped that the virus would “disappear”.
Chancellor Kurz countered criticism that the opening steps go too far. “We have a stronger safety net than other countries,” he said, referring to the high intensity of testing and the 3G rule. In addition, he said, everyone has the option to go beyond the current regulations and protect themselves. “I am double vaccinated and I still get tested,” the chancellor said. According to the Chancellor’s Office, the 34-year-old received his second dose of the Astrazeneca vaccine a few days ago. He had received the first shot in early June.
Kurz also expressed skepticism when asked about possible new border closures. “The virus does not stop at borders,” he said. While “certain border measures” had made sense, “no one could stop the virus,” he said, referring to the fact that the Delta variant, for example, had spread across Europe despite entry restrictions. At the same time, Kurz pleaded for a “clear view of the essentials” in the pandemic. “We always wanted to prevent hospitals from being overburdened, and that must continue to be the goal,” he said.
- source: APA/picture: pixabay.com
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