Vienna opens gastronomy, culture and sports on May 19

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Restaurants (both indoors and outdoors), hotels, cultural and sports facilities will open in Vienna on May 19. The city’s swimming pools will also be allowed to open again, and schools will return to full attendance classes on May 17.

Thus, the federal capital also supports the opening steps of the federal government. This was announced by Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) and his deputy Christoph Wiederkehr (Neos) on Thursday after consultations with medical experts.

Before these consultations, the city’s leadership had still been reserved about the comprehensive opening steps decided by the federal government. But: “The very strict measures of the last weeks have borne fruit”, said Ludwig. The number of cases has decreased more than expected, for which Ludwig and Wiederkehr explicitly thanked the population.

The seven-day incidence in the eastern region is now below the Austrian average, and further forecasts are also positive. Therefore, for example, indoor gastronomy could also be opened – a measure that Ludwig had left open until the very end.

The situation in the hospitals has also eased, said Ludwig and Wiederkehr. Currently, only 170 patients with Covid 19 infections are in intensive care beds, they said. Still, the margin “remains a narrow one,” the mayor said.

As before, the more aggressive, British mutation also puts younger people at risk, he said. As a result, Ludwig warned, everyone could still become infected and “definitely have very serious courses.” The land-grazing consequences known as “long covid” would also still be difficult to assess. The city government, he said, therefore has “a shared responsibility to make sure the situation does not get out of hand.”

For this reason, Ludwig and Wiederkehr will consult with the experts again in two weeks.

The city of Vienna will also continue to expand the PCR test offer “Alles gurgelt.” He had been asked by many, less tech-savvy people to create more testing opportunities with the PCR gold standard, Ludwig said. Therefore, he said, the city will set up ten decentralized test boxes where these PCR tests will be offered.

Security concepts and stringent controls
The security concepts of the cultural institutions must additionally be adapted in view of the British mutation, Ludwig said, without going into more detail.

In addition, a task force will be formed by the Immediate Action Group, which will carry out “very strict checks” to see whether the respective precautions are being observed in all establishments, Ludwig announced. The opening is “a concession to many of these companies”, so he also expects the corresponding accommodation of these companies.