Anyone celebrating Christmas together with friends and relatives this evening should, if possible, observe a few safety measures, says environmental physician Hans Peter Hutter. He recommends, for example, not to sing under the Christmas tree. “Coronaviruses can waft in the indoor air for a long time and from this follows: Please ventilate. Every half hour circa one to two minutes is enough to also not cool down the whole apartment,” recommends the specialist in hygiene and environmental medicine in the “Vienna Today” interview. How long the Omikron variant of the…
Read MoreMonth: December 2021
2,374 new corona infections in Austria on Friday
The number of new Corona infections on Friday is below the 2,500 mark: 2,374 new infections occurred, according to a press release from the Interior Ministry. So far, there have been 1,260,751 positive test results in Austria. As of today (December 24, 9:30 a.m.), 13,617 people across Austria have died as a result of the Corona virus and 1,214,967 have recovered. Currently, 1,364 people are undergoing hospital treatment due to the Corona virus. Of these, 418 are being cared for in intensive care units. New Corona infections by provinceBurgenland: 64Carinthia:…
Read MoreOmicron: milder course of disease also in GB
Following initial studies, surveys by the British health authority UKHSA have now also shown that Omicron apparently causes significantly milder courses of disease than previous variants of the coronavirus. The risk of having to be hospitalized after an infection is 50 to 70 percent lower with Omicron than with the Delta variant, which previously dominated in the UK, the authority explained yesterday. At the same time, it warned against jumping to conclusions because only a few data are available so far. The data are “preliminary” and scientifically “very uncertain,” the…
Read MoreNational Immunization Panel (NIG) recommends fourth vaccination in special cases
The National Immunization Panel (NIG) last night released updated recommendations for use of the CoV vaccine. In it, the panel writes that in light of the Omicron variant, the rate of third vaccinations should be “increased as soon as possible.” To have a lasting impact on the pandemic, reducing viral circulation by maximizing vaccination coverage must be the long-term goal, it said. Due to a lack of scientific data, the fourth vaccination is not generally recommended at this time, he said. “However, given the threat of an omicron wave, it…
Read MoreThese Corona rules apply through New Year’s Day
On Wednesday, the federal government and state governors discussed the situation. Katharina Reich, head of the new crisis body “GECKO” (Gesamtstaatliche Covid-Krisenkoordinierung) explained the new Covid rules starting December 27. An overview of the new Covid rules: Christmas rulesOn December 24, 25 and 26, the still-applicable lockdown for the unvaccinated will have a break, at least for celebrations among small groups of friends and family. For gatherings of up to ten people, it doesn’t matter what their immune status is. For larger gatherings of 11 to 25 people, 2-G proof…
Read MoreChristmas in the midst of the pandemic
In the midst of the pandemic, the Church celebrates the feast of the birth of Jesus, that is, Christmas. In the midst of death, suffering, exhaustion, fear, in the midst of anger, hatred, division and aggressiveness, Christians celebrate faith in life. We believe that never death, but always life will be stronger. The story of Christmas is familiar to us humans – even if we don’t necessarily profess a religious church or faith community: Mary and Joseph, the Bible tells us, find retreat and security as a family for the…
Read MoreNovavax shows effective protection against Omicron variant
According to data from U.S. pharmaceutical company Novavax, the vaccine Nuvaxovid should also provide effective protection against the coronavirus variant Omicron. The company reported an effective immune response – even against the delta variant – in a release Thursday. A third dose – called a booster – would increase that immune response even more, the first results of a study of the vaccine’s effectiveness in adolescents and as a booster showed. The immune response was as much as two to four times higher in adolescents than in adults. Novavax also…
Read MoreClosing time, entry, meeting: COVID Christmas rules in Austria
Due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, Austria begins to tighten its Corona measures. The curfew, currently set at 11 p.m., will be brought forward to 10 p.m. as of December 27, and restrictions will also come for events. On New Year’s Eve, the planned curfew exemption will be eliminated. The following is an overview of the rules around Christmas and New Year’s. Christmas and New Year’s EveStill upheld – until further notice – is the lockdown for the unvaccinated. The government had already announced exceptions for this…
Read More2,147 new infections in Austria
While Austria is arming itself with new tightenings against the widespread arrival of the more infectious Omicron variant, the Corona situation in the country remains manageable. In all districts, case numbers went down over the past two weeks. From Wednesday to Thursday, 2,147 new infections were registered in Austria. The newly reported cases are thus further below the average of the past seven days of 2,292. In addition, the number of active cases thus continues to fall to 33,470. In the past 24 hours, 279,487 new PCR tests were performed.…
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