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Corona in Austria: Dramatic letter to the health chief - hospitals "on the verge of performance"

2020-12-01T01:45:03.401Z


Austria is in a tough corona lockdown. Meanwhile, the situation in the hospitals remains precarious. The news ticker.


Austria is in a tough corona lockdown.

Meanwhile, the situation in the hospitals remains precarious.

The news ticker.

  • Corona pandemic in Austria:

    The Alpine republic has

    imposed

    a

    tough lockdown

    until December 6th

    .

  • Austria's Chancellor

    Sebastian Kurz

    wants to get the

    Corona *

    infection

    under control with mass tests before

    Christmas

    .

  • This

    news ticker

    on the subject of

    coronavirus in Austria

    is updated regularly

Update from November 30th, 8:01 p.m

.: When

Rudolf Anschober

began his work as the new Austrian

Minister of Health

in January

, he could not yet know how much he would be in focus in the following months.

Until now.

The

Green politician

, together with Federal Chancellor

Sebastian Kurz

(ÖVP), is in charge of the corona measures that have come into force in the Alpine republic.

Now the 60-year-old is faced with criticism.

It comes from the health system of all places.

In a letter to the

Minister of Health

, the

heads of the nine Austrian public hospitals warned

against opening the door too quickly.

After the lockdown ended on December 6, measures should be taken to “reduce the incidence of infections and keep them at a low level,” reported the “Kleine Zeitung” beforehand.

The letter that has not yet been sent should reach the Ministry of Health within the next two days.

+

Health Minister of Austria: Rudolf "Rudi" Anschober.

© Helmut Fohringer / dpa

In a dramatic appeal, the hospital bosses report that the second

wave of corona

has brought the "public hospitals to

the limit of

their capabilities".

It should therefore not go too quickly into normality.

Specifically, what is needed is a “significant and sustainable reduction in the number of infections and thus the hospitalization rate to relieve our staff”. This is “urgent”.

Low numbers are "inevitable for a step-by-step start and guarantee of normal operation."

The

corona situation in Austria

is still tense.

The number of active cases has been in the six-digit range since November 19.

According to calculations by the ORF, Germany's neighboring country currently has 108,782 active infections.

In addition, 3560 patients are currently being cared for in hospitals and 691 in intensive care units.

The letter to the health minister seems understandable.

Corona in Austria: mandatory vaccination in the country?

“Only solution” or “in no way acceptable”?

Update from November 30th, 1.40 p.m.:

Polarizing debate in

Austria

: In the

ORF program Im Zentrum

, the upcoming

vaccinations against the corona virus were

discussed

diligently

.

The focus: Irmgard Griss, the former President of the Supreme Court, called for mandatory vaccination in the Alpine republic.

In this context, voluntariness is "counterproductive", explained the well-known lawyer and former member of the National Council

, in her view

,

compulsory vaccination

against

Corona

is "the only solution".

On the other hand, said Wolf-Dieter Ludwig, the chairman of the drug commission of the German medical profession: "A

vaccination obligation

against the background of the vague data is in no way acceptable."

"One of the questions I keep hearing is: How can it be that a vaccine was developed so briefly? What they certainly haven't done is to reduce data at the expense of safety and effectiveness."

Vaccinologist Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt #imzentrum pic.twitter.com/TMcIl6cROL

- IM ZENTRUM (@ORFImZentrum) November 30, 2020

Coronavirus pandemic in Austria: focus on corona risk groups - Covid-19 outbreak in old people's home

Update from November 30, 11:45 a.m.:

The

corona risk groups

are

still the focus of

the

coronavirus pandemic

in

Austria

.

After all, they have to be protected.

According to reports, this goal is sometimes not achieved at all.

The latest example: a nursing home in the Austrian Mürz Valley (

Styria

).

As the

Kleine Zeitung

from Graz reports, there was a

Covid-19 outbreak

in the St. Lorenzen nursing home

.

The result:

90 percent of the residents have

now

tested positive

for the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen.

In addition, three quarters of the staff have also tested positive or are in

quarantine

as first-degree contacts

, the report continues.

Mayor Petra Weberhofer (SPÖ) shared an "urgent call for help" on Facebook.

So "every conceivable help in the area of ​​laundry service, senior entertainment, breakfast service, but also qualified nurses and nursing staff" would be required.

According to the

Kleine Zeitung,

the

Austrian Armed Forces are

sending

eight caregivers and three medical professionals so that the old people's home can care for the infected residents who are not hospitalized.

Corona pandemic in Austria: fuss about alleged job offer for Tyrolean après-ski bar

Update from November 30, 11.25 a.m.:

In the

Corona crisis

, the Public Employment Service (AMS) came under heavy criticism on social media.

The AMS fulfills

the function of a public employment office

in

Austria

.

According to a report in the

Kronen Zeitung

, the AMS is said to have offered a 50-year-old Viennese woman a job as a waitress in a

Tyrolean après-ski bar

.

A photo that is supposed to show the alleged letter from the authority is circulating on Twitter, among other places.

Even more: a user and a journalist confronted the head of the institution, Johannes Kopf, with the allegations.

Kopf did not deny these reports and simply replied on Twitter: “I'm sure it's the beginning.

Supraregional placement is a goal given to the AMS to improve the much higher unemployment in eastern Austria compared to the many vacancies in the west. ”The

AMS boss

responded to

the accusation that it should be an

après-ski bar

apparently not one.

Background: At the beginning of the

corona pandemic in Europe

, the

Tyrolean winter sports and party location Ischgl came

into focus because numerous partiers in the

après-ski bars of

the tourist hotspot were infected.

The Austrian politics recently stated that there would be no après-ski in the ski areas of the Alpine republic this winter.

I'm sure it's the beginning.

Supraregional placement is a goal given to the AMS in order to improve the much higher unemployment in eastern Austria compared to the many vacancies in the west.

- Johannes Kopf (@JohannesKopf) November 29, 2020

Corona pandemic in Austria: fewer new coronavirus infections between Vienna and Salzburg

Update from November 30, 11 a.m.:

The number of

new coronavirus infections

is

falling

in

Austria

.

According to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Interior, 2748 newly registered

corona cases were

found

in the Alpine republic within 24 hours (as of 9:30 a.m.)

.

The numbers are generally lower on Mondays because the weekend reporting systems have to be cleaned up.

Meanwhile,

79 new deaths

related to Covid-19 were added.

There were

701 corona patients in

the intensive care units of the Alpine republic on Monday

.

The hospitalization (4340 Covid-19 patients) is still very high, according to the authorities.

Corona pandemic in Austria: quarantine accommodations for possible tourists near Salzburg

Update from November 30th, 8:12 am

: It is still unclear whether

tourists

come to Austria

in winter

.

But the

state of Salzburg

has prepared itself.

In the

Salzburg ski area

, rooms and apartments are available as quarantine accommodation for guests.

As

ORF.at

reports, the accommodations are intended for winter tourists who tested positive for Covid-19 while on vacation.

The first

corona mass tests

start on Tuesday in Salzburg

(see first report from November 29th)

.

The 2,200-inhabitant town of Annaberg-Lungötz (Tennengau) is preparing to test the population.

Corona in Austria - More than 13 days in lockdown

"The situation is still very serious," said

Health Minister Rudi Anschober

about the current

Corona crisis in Austria

.

On the 13th day of the

lockdown

, the number of new infections fell, but it "is still at a dramatically high level".

The next week, Anschober describes as “a week that sets the course”.

“We not only have to continue the trend of falling numbers of new infections, but also massively intensify it,” explained Anschober.

Update from November 29, 3:35 p.m

.: In Vienna, the

corona mass tests will

begin

on December 4 - two days later than planned.

Preparations are in full swing.

The professional fire brigade has set up three larger test centers.

150,000 corona tests are to be carried out there every day.

+

Corona in Austria: Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) dampens hope for easing from December 7th (symbol photo).

© Roland Schlager / APA / dpa

Corona in Austria: Sebastian Kurz speaks of "further massive restrictions"

First report from November 29th:

Vienna - The

new corona infections are high in Austria

- still too high.

Despite curfew and closed shops.

The current

lockdown

is scheduled for December 6th, when it should finally be eased.

Austria's Chancellor

Sebastian Kurz,

however, slows down expectations for the time after.

"We will have to

live

with further

massive restrictions

after December 7th,

" Kurz said in an interview with the

Kleine Zeitung

in the Sunday edition.

"We will certainly not be able to take any hasty opening steps," said Austria's Chancellor.

He has always pleaded for a cautious approach, some interpreted it as scary.

The Austrian government wants to present the easing for December on Wednesday (December 2nd).

Schools and retail should open.

However, the infection numbers have to be right.

“The higher the number of infections, the more difficult it will be to take opening steps,” Kurz explains in an interview.

Austria wants to create more security

with

corona mass tests

.

Fear of the third lockdown: start corona mass test in Austria

In the coming week these will start in

Salzburg

.

Some federal states have brought the date forward.

The

capital Vienna is also

preparing to test 150,000 Viennese for the corona virus every day.

“The Covid mass test should be carried out in twelve days,” said Vienna City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker.

A mammoth task for the city with around 1.9 million inhabitants.

Antigen tests * are used for the mass tests.

If a test is positive, a PCR test is used to check it.

"The higher the number of infections, the more difficult it will be ..."

Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz

Corona: Austria fears third lockdown - Kurz dampens hope for easing

A

third lockdown

must be prevented as much as possible, says Kurz.

The planned corona mass tests could be a great opportunity to localize the infection process and prevent new infections, he emphasizes.

It is initially unclear which further massive restrictions the population will have to adjust to.

Austrian media speak of a kind of "mid-lockdown" that shouldn't be soft, but not really hard either.

Despite the new infections, Chancellor Kurz still seems convinced that the corona pandemic will end.

“I said in August that we can get back to normal by next summer.

I'll stick with it, ”Kurz clarifies again in an interview.

In Austria, 4,047 new corona infections and 87 further deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Interior announced (as of November 29, 9:30 a.m.).

Austria: Corona case numbers according to AGES (data status: November 28, 2 p.m.)

  • So far,

    247,275 people

    in Austria have been shown to have been

    infected with the

    corona

    virus.

  • 2,822 deaths

    have been recorded since the pandemic began.

  • There are

    currently 116,383 active corona cases

    in Austria.

    According to AGES, 3,702 of them are in the hospital, 703 of them in the intensive care unit.

  • According to AGES, the 7-day incidence is currently

    363.5

    .

The Council of Ministers wants to adopt the new corona rules in Austria next Wednesday.

Until then there will probably still be some discussions.

Something is likely to change in trade and business.

Schools should probably return to face-to-face teaching.

When it comes to skiing, there is said to be a secret government plan before Christmas.

(

ml) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-12-01

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