Corona bang in Austria: No Christmas parties, curfew, masks everywhere - Kurz intensifies measures massively

The coronavirus pandemic is worsening again in Austria.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz provides information about new Covid-19 protective measures - here in the news ticker.

• Coronavirus pandemic

  *: In

  Austria

  take the

  Corona infections

  at high level.

• Chancellor Sebastian Kurz

  will

  inform

  about further

  Covid-19 measures

  in the Alpine republic

  this Thursday (September 17th)

  .

• Follow the

  press conference from Vienna from 2 p.m.

  here in the live ticker.

Update, 3 p.m .:

bitter!

(ÖVP) is

asked

after

whether they would be an exception for private celebrations.

His clear answer: no!

The ten-person rule also applies here.

“It applies to all private celebrations,” said the 34-year-old head of government: “We cannot differentiate between them.

The only area for which it does not apply are funerals. ”Ergo: In

, some canceled weddings can be expected.

Update, 2:50 p.m .: Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP)

is on the line, and thus the man, as he explains, who is “responsible for public safety”.

Nehammer, known for his shirt-sleeved style, leaves a stern impression.

The “curfew ordinance is checked very intensively at night clubs”, explains the 47-year-old Viennese and announces: “There will be reports.” He therefore advises “to implement the measures”.

Clear announcement from the head of department at the Federal Chancellery.

Corona pandemic in Austria: "Clubs" and football clubs as Covid-19 herd

Update, 2.40 p.m.: Health Minister Rudolf "Rudi" Anschober

goes into suspected sources of infection, speaks of the "après-soccer area" with a view to football.

Accordingly, there have been more and more new

after celebrations by amateur soccer teams on sports fields and the like.

The afterlife also plays a prominent role.

"Clubs" were open "until 6 a.m." in the morning and even advertised for them, he continues, and a relatively

number of

attributed to this.

Coronavirus pandemic in Austria: doubling of daily corona cases feared

Update, 2.30 p.m.: Health Minister Rudolf "Rudi" Anschober (The Greens)

informs

about new

in the Alpine republic

at the press conference on the

.

Most new infections were found "with a clear margin in Vienna", explains Anschober.

Looking to the future, he tells of forecasts that

assume

- which would double the current numbers.

That would be a lot compared to larger countries like Germany.

Corona crisis in Austria: Federal Government Kurz extends VAT reduction for gastronomy

Update, 2.20 p.m.:

At the end of his speech,

once again urgently warned of the “catastrophic economic consequences of a

”. 

He knows that some industries are particularly affected - and explicitly means

.

Therefore there will be an "extension of the VAT reduction for the catering and tourism sector for the entire year 2021" and thus an "extension by one year". 

has bad news, for example the restriction of private meetings means “no Christmas parties”.

Corona pandemic in Austria: social contacts, gastronomy, mask requirement - three tightenings

Update, 2:17 p.m.: Chancellor Kurz

announces three key

for

:

• 1. Social contacts are drastically restricted in Austria

  .

  This means that private celebrations indoors are limited to a maximum of 10 people.

  Funerals and demonstrations are excluded.

  Outdoor remains the limit of 100 people for private gatherings.

  For example, the limit of 3,000 people applies to football matches.

• 2. Gastronomy: For closed events in clubs, discos and bars there is a curfew from 1 am.

  The federal states can even push the curfew further forward.

• 3. Mask requirement: This no longer only applies to shops and stores, but also in restaurants from Monday

  , which means for guests when entering the restaurant - as is the case in Germany.

  A maximum of 10 people can sit at one table.

  There is a general mask requirement for markets in Austria such as the Naschmarkt in Vienna.

  The mask requirement also applies in public transport.

Kurz

concludes: "That will help us survive the second wave."

Corona pandemic in Austria: Sebastian Kurz warns of a second Covid 19 lockdown

Update from September 17, 2:12 p.m

.: The press conference with

has started.

Briefly

tells of "extensive consultations by the federal government." He describes an "exposed increase in the

, we have seen the numbers double."

The Austrian head of government seems very serious: "We have to react now to prevent a second lockdown." He indirectly refers to the

.

It is now a matter of "cushioning negative effects on the business location and the labor market".

“It is precisely what we enjoy is often the place for infection,” he continues, and announces “three very specific measures throughout

”.

First report from September 17

- Munich / Vienna - It was a common formula in the first wave of the

:

In the

is

looking

,

all, the southern neighbor of the Federal Republic with the infection was always around three Weeks ahead.

With a view to the

reiterated it.

And not just him.

Corona pandemic in Austria: Press conference by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz

The man, on whom

everything looked

between

and

, between

and

, between

and

, wants

to inform

his country people again today - in the middle of the

- about the latest status:

from the ÖVP.

According to the news portal oe24.at, new

expected

due to the increasing number of

.

For example, there could be a guest limit for private celebrations.

As of Thursday morning, 780 new infections with the

added

within 24 hours

.

Coronavirus in Austria: Compared to Germany, many new corona cases

For comparison: In the same period, 2,194 new

registered

- but the Federal Republic has almost ten times as many inhabitants.

Chancellor Kurz will speak in Vienna at 2 p.m. -

(pm)