Category: General Interest

Advent is a special time for many families. Contemplative mood, anticipation of Christmas, the smell of cookies and festive music characterize the time. But the Advent wreath is also an important pre-Christmas custom. Traditionally, many people weave it from fir branches and decorate it with four candles. On each Sunday in Advent, one more is lit. The Christmas wreath represents the remaining days until Christmas Eve and symbolizes the solemnity of this special time. The history of the Advent wreathThe Wichern Advent wreath – or: how it all began…But where…

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In the Netherlands, 61 airline passengers from South Africa have tested positive for coronavirus. The tests were taken upon arrival at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Dutch health authority GGD announced today. The passengers arrived on two flights from South Africa, according to the statement. In addition to the 61 positive results, there were 531 negative coronavirus tests, it said. Those who tested positive would be housed in a quarantine hotel near the airport, the authority further explained. Investigations are now underway to determine whether they were infected with the…

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Step by step: this is how the booster vaccination is documented in your green passport. The vaccination certificate is available for download. A good one million Austrians have already had the third prick. People who have received a Corona vaccination in Austria are automatically issued an EU-compliant vaccination certificate. How do I get my vaccination certificate?If you don’t have an app on your phone, you can easily get your current vaccination certificate via your e-vaccination certificate online at https://www.gesundheit.gv.at/ or https://gruenerpass.gv.at/ (“Download certificates”). With cell phone signature, you can log…

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The spread of a new potentially dangerous variant of coronavirus in southern Africa has caused international concern. Experts fear that variant B.1.1.529, aka Omikron, could be highly contagious because of an unusually large number of mutations and could also more easily penetrate the protective shield of vaccines. Pharmaceutical company Biontech is looking into a possible adaptation of its mRNA vaccine. “We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations into variant B.1.1.529,” a Biontech spokesman said Friday. “The variant is clearly different from previously observed variants as it…

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Biontech says it can adapt its vaccine within six weeks should a mutation become necessary. The German pharmaceutical company said it had already made preparations with U.S. partner Pfizer for such an eventuality months ago. Initial batches of the adapted vaccine could be delivered within 100 days, according to the company. Biontech is currently testing the effectiveness of its own vaccine against the new coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa. “We understand the concern of experts and have immediately initiated investigations into variant B.1.1.529,” a Biontech spokesperson said today.…

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The EU Commission has proposed a booster vaccination for the continued validity of the digital EU vaccination passport. After nine months at the latest, the third Corona vaccination must have taken place, otherwise the validity of the vaccination certificate will expire. New travel recommendations expected“We propose a validity period of nine months for the EU-wide vaccination certificate, after which it would lose its validity without proof of a booster vaccination,” Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said Thursday in Brussels. Booster vaccination needed after nine months for valid vaccination certificateThis period takes…

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“On Friday it will snow in many regions of Austria. Only at very low altitudes it is still rain or sleet in places. Black ice due to freezing rain is also possible, especially in the eastern half of Austria. The snow line is mostly between 200 and 400 meters, in East Tyrol, Carinthia and southern Styria partly still around 1,000 meters,” elaborated Thomas Krennert of ZAMG. “On Saturday, it will snow and rain at times, especially on the southern side of the Alps, everywhere else it may clear up a…

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All of Austria remains deep red on the CoV traffic light, i.e. in the maximum risk range. This emerged from the meeting of the responsible commission yesterday afternoon. The committee sees “the medical care of the Austrian population in large parts of the country seriously threatened”. The announced vaccination obligation is expressly welcomed, likewise third sting and child inoculation. Measures in the school sector are seen only as a “last resort”. The Commission recommends pushing “booster vaccination”, which could make a significant contribution to curbing the current wave. In view…

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The EMA has already given the green light for the use of BioNTech/Pfizer’s Corona vaccine in children between the ages of five and eleven. Now the vaccine is also recommended by the National Immunization Panel (NIG). EMA: Green lightThe head of the NIG, Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt, said at a press conference in Vienna. “Childhood vaccination is safe,” Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein stressed. Corona vaccination obligation also for children?258,000 doses of the company’s own vaccine with a new formulation are to be delivered to Austria by the end of the year. “That…

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