In view of tomorrow’s national holiday, the head of state of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen appealed downwards to comply with the coronavirus rules. Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) called for further measures if the increase in the number of infected persons was not to be slowed down. Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) appealed to reduce contacts during school vacations and to refrain from Halloween parties.
Van der Bellen asked in a letter circulated in the media for understanding not to be able to celebrate the national holiday as usual. “We all have to live with the virus and accept restrictions in order to protect the health of all of us,” said the Federal President.
Anschober: “Turnaround” not until early 2021
Kurz and Anschober called for compliance with the rules in several newspaper interviews. “The situation is extremely serious, the situation is coming to a head,” Kurz told the “Kurier”. In other countries there are already lockdowns with closed schools, stores, restaurants and curfews. This is imminent in Austria as well, if the growth of the infections is not slowed down. “At the moment, it does not look like that will be the case,” said Kurz, expressing his pessimism.
Kurz expects a “turnaround” only with a vaccine, as he told the daily newspaper “Österreich”. We want to be able to start vaccination in Austria in February or March,” Anschober said in the “Kronen Zeitung”. He could understand a certain “Corona fatigue”, but: “Now it’s all about everything! The next three or four weeks will be decisive for our future!
Public CoV statistics announced
Anschober also announced a uniform coronavirus statistic. At present, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) publish daily figures, which in some cases differ considerably due to different methods of collection. “In future, the same figures will be published at the same time. The main source remains the AGES dashboard”, Anschober said in the “Presse”.
SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner, however, has shifted to practical assistance: The physician wants to help out at the Samaritan Federation once a week and had herself photographed for the “Kronen Zeitung” while taking throat tests at the Vienna Prater Stadium.
hp, source: ORF.at/agencies. Pciture: stockilyapp.com
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