For half a year now, isolation has been no longer mandatory in the case of a Corona infection. What applies in case of a positive test, and what to do?
After the long Christmas break, corona numbers are slowly but surely rising again. Fueling the infectious activity in Austria is the now dominant subline XBB.1.5 – a highly contagious omicron variant.
The problem is that after nearly three years of the coronavirus pandemic, many have lost track of what’s happening. The rules and measures have finally changed several times, but one rule has remained the same: Infection with SARS-CoV-2 remains reportable.
If the antigen test at home is positive, if two lines appear on the test strip, a PCR test or a report to the competent health authority must be made. What is new, however, is that the person who tests positive for the coronavirus no longer has to isolate himself. A regulation that went into effect Aug. 1, 2022.
This means that people can leave their own four walls despite a positive test – with one crucial restriction: they must wear an FFP2 mask at all times.
This applies indoors when contact with other people cannot be ruled out and outdoors if a minimum distance of two meters from other people cannot be maintained. On the road, the FFP2 mask must be worn in public and private transport if contact with other persons cannot be ruled out.
Even in private homes, the measure applies when people from different households meet in an enclosed space. Outdoors, i.e. in the garden, the 2-meter distance rule applies again.
This means that it is also possible, in principle, to go to the workplace, provided that the continuous wearing of an FFP2 mask or the observance of suitable protective measures can be guaranteed.
If, due to a corona infection, duty is not taken up either at the workplace or in the home office; a sick note is required – as with other illnesses – which is issued by the family doctor (general practitioner).
Just as was once the case with seclusion, early lifting of the traffic restriction is also possible from the fifth day. For this purpose, a free test by PCR test (negative or CT value ≥30) must be performed. Otherwise, the traffic restriction is valid for ten days.
- source: heute.at/picture:
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