Category: General Interest

Complexity researcher Peter Klimek sees the current omicron wave subsiding, so the reduction of free PCR tests is “epidemiologically justifiable.“ However, he expects a new wave – “at the latest” in autumn. As of Friday, there will only be five free PCR tests per month per person (with some exceptions). This will also impact the incidence of infections, says complexity researcher Peter Klimek in the “Wien Heute” interview. “Maybe we won’t necessarily find many fewer cases, but many cases might have been detected a little earlier.” Thus, this measure will…

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The decreasing number of Corona infections is also causing the risk figure in Austria to fall. Nevertheless, all federal provinces and the entire country remain red on the Corona traffic light this week. This means that Austria continues to have the highest risk level everywhere, according to the working document of the responsible commission published by the Austrian Press Agency (APA). Vienna with best risk figure in Austria The best risk figure, which also considers factors such as the age of the patients and vaccination status, is still Vienna with…

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As announced, the testing strategy in Austria will be restructured from 1 April. The necessary decree was published by the Ministry of Health late on Wednesday evening. It comes into force on 1 April and is valid until 30 June for the time being. In principle, every citizen will in the future have five free antigen and PCR tests per month. This limited quota does not apply to suspected cases and vulnerable settings’ residents, visitors, and employees. Initially, these are care facilities, whereby the test will be made available free…

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Every day Austrians lose their Green Pass because their booster expired nine months ago. There is no solution for this yet. A lot has happened since all G-rules fell on 5 March. The green pass was supposed to be banned from everyday life, but now it is still with us for a while. For example, anyone who wants to work in the catering industry in Vienna must show proof of 2G. Those who go on holiday also have to show 3G proof when they return. Otherwise, you will be in…

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After the Easter vacations, schools will only have PCR tests once a week. Education Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) informed schools of this in a letter on Tuesday. Antigen tests will only be provided more if there have been positive cases before. The masking requirement outside of class, on the other hand, will remain in place “until further notice.” Currently, schools are tested three times a week – at least twice using the more informative PCR method and once using an antigen test. After Easter, only one weekly PCR test will…

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As of 1 April, only five free PCR and five rapid antigen tests will be available to every Austrian every month. The regulation is still waiting; some questions are still open. Five tests per month remain free While the provinces are waiting for the Ministry of Health’s decree with concrete specifications, they see the areas responsible for controlling the limitation of PCR tests. In the future, most Laender will rely on the tried and tested throat tests (partly with pharmacy participation), in Styria only on tests in pharmacies. The PCR…

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A separate Omicron-specific vaccination is unnecessary, nor is a fourth CoV vaccination for broad sections of the population, says vaccination expert Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt from MedUni Vienna. It is not yet possible to say whether this will also apply in autumn – more data is needed for this. This is also the recommendation of the national vaccination committee, “where we said that we do not yet recommend the fourth vaccination for everyone because we do not yet have the data, but for people over the age of 65, and also for…

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In Austria, the clocks were set forward to 3 a.m. punctually at 2 a.m., and the night was 60 minutes shorter. The changeover to standard time (CET) will take place on the last weekend in October. It is still unclear what will happen with the abolition of the time change in the EU, which has been decided. The ball is still in the EU Council of Ministers; the transport ministers are responsible. What does it mean to look at the clock at 11:11? As the abolition of the annual time…

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As the experts of the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) predicted on Sunday, it will already become unsettled from Wednesday. Towards the weekend, it will be cold and rainy. Vienna weather in detail There will be some fog on Monday at first, but it will dissipate quickly. Then sunshine will predominate. A few harmless spring clouds will form over the mountains and hills in the afternoon. The wind will be light to moderate, mostly from southeast to west. In the morning, temperatures will range from minus four to…

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