Corona infections continue to rise in Austria – new measures could be presented on Friday

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The number of new Corona infections continues to rise, with 317 intensive care beds occupied. New measures could now be presented as early as Friday.

5,398 new infections, already 317 intensive care beds occupied. Corona continues to paralyze Austria. In Upper Austria there are already exit controls in nine of 15 districts (allegedly), in the whole of Austria there are 15. Three federal states (Upper Austria, Vorarlberg, Carinthia) have requested the federal army because they are overwhelmed with contact tracing. For Austria as a whole, the source of infection is already unknown in one third of cases. This should now help:

Together with the National Vaccination Committee, Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein yesterday recommended booster vaccinations. These third vaccinations as a booster will be released immediately throughout Austria for all people over 18 years of age, if their second vaccination was at least six months ago.

He said an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer BioNTech) is recommended for this shot. Anyone who has received Johnson & Johnson should quickly follow up with a 2nd vaccination with mRNA.

Mueckstein also appealed to get the flu vaccine as soon as possible. A strong season is expected.

With more than 300 intensive care beds occupied, new measures will go into effect Nov. 8, Mückstein stressed. The regulation for this (only vaccinated and recovered people are allowed in night gastro, antigen tests do not apply) is already ready, he said.

In the middle of next week, the minister expects 400 intensive care beds to be occupied. Then the third security level will come into force “without any waiting period”: the 2.5G rule will be mandatory in shops and offices. Only vaccinated, convalescents and persons with PCR tests will then have access. Mückstein emphasized that the 2.5G rule is in compliance with the law. Labor Minister Martin Kocher had previously doubted that.

Friday, new measures could be presented. At 6 p.m., the government will invite the heads of the states to the Chancellor’s Office. No one wants to commit to measures in advance, but the state governors are calling for uniform rules nationwide.