Category: General Interest

For “religious celebrations on a one-off occasion” such as baptisms, first communions, confirmations, or weddings, masks can be dispensed with if the 3G rule has been agreed as an alternative. Due to the general Corona situation, the Austrian Bishops’ Conference adjusted its rules for public church services on Thursday. Thus, as of Friday, 25 March, it will be compulsory to wear an FFP2 mask at church services indoors throughout Austria in the Catholic Church. No mask is required in open-air religious activities. For “religious celebrations on a one-off occasion” such…

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Vienna will not implement the less strict segregation rules for CoV-infected persons. This means that the quarantine will only continue to end after five days if those affected take the day off. The “Alles Gurgelt” program will also remain in place from April. “In principle, the federal government gives two options to choose from in its new recommendation. And Vienna has chosen the option that has already been implemented very successfully,” argues Ursula Karnthaler from MA 15 (Health Service) in an interview with “Wien Heute,“ explaining why free testing after…

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“Currently, we are in a high incidence phase. And it will stay that way until Easter if we don’t intervene,” said virologist Christian Drosten of Berlin’s Charité hospital in an interview with Die Zeit on Wednesday. What is meant is the highest high corona figures that are available in Germany as well as in Austria. On Thursday, 41,607 new infections were reported in Austria. Take precautions already in summer According to the scientist, precautions must already be taken in summer for a renewed wave of infections in autumn. “Effective medication…

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No end to the period of good weather in sight: According to the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) forecast, the weather-dominating high will not be broken down until next week. Friday: Cloudless skies to start the weekend Today, Friday, high air pressure will continue to dominate the weather in Austria. The sun will shine most of the time and from a largely cloudless sky in almost all parts of the country. Only a few spring clouds will appear over the Alpine peaks in the day. A few unproductive…

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This week, the Corona traffic light shines dark red in nearly all of Austria. Also, this week the Corona traffic light shows the usual color: dark red. Except for Tyrol, the risk number has increased everywhere. The orange zone of still high risk seems challenging to reach the moment. This is because cases have gone up in eight provinces in the past two weeks. Vienna has the most substantial Corona increase with 18 percent. Nevertheless, the risk figure, which includes the age of the affected person and vaccination status in…

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The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) expects the Omikron subvariant BA.2, which is spreading in Europe, to become dominant in the US in the foreseeable future. This sub-variants’ share of coronavirus variants nationwide has risen to 35 percent, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a briefing with journalists yesterday. “We expect it to become the predominant variant in the coming weeks.” In parts of the Northeast, she said, that is already the case. At the same time, Walensky pointed to a drop in the numbers of coronavirus infections, hospital…

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From April, symptom-free people will only be allowed to take five free PCR tests. Should one hoard gargle tests? After much back and forth, there was finally a decision on 15 March: The new health minister Johannes Rauch announced the provisional test strategy. Symptom-free people are only allowed five free PCR tests per month. The unlimited number of free gargle tests will no longer exist at the end of March. In addition, each person is allowed to take five free antigen tests per month. The only exception is that those…

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The government has abolished the quarantine for contacts, but measures have to be tightened at the same time. As of Monday, contact persons of someone infected with Corona no longer have to be quarantined, the government has also relaxed the previous regulation for all people without complete immune protection, so the ten-day domestic isolation falls even for the unvaccinated. No quarantine Instead, the new Health Minister Johannes Rauch has issued so-called “traffic restrictions.“ Those affected are now allowed outside but must wear FFP2 masks – even in the open air.…

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Spring is not only here astronomically: according to the ZAMG forecast, Austria is in for a sunny and mild week. Temperatures may even rise above 20 degrees. Monday will be sunny and primarily cloudless; only in the southwest may there be some fog in the morning, but it will dissipate soon. The wind will be light to moderate from east to south. Early temperatures will be minus eight to plus three degrees, daytime highs eight to 18 degrees, with the highest values in the west. On Tuesday, the sunny and…

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