The ski areas in Austria have been open since Christmas Eve - under strict corona restrictions.
In some winter sports resorts, the rules are not followed.
Due to the high
incidence *,
Austria is going
into a third
Corona *
lockdown
- the
ski lifts are
still open.
The
mask requirement
for winter sports causes outrage among the operators.
In the first
mass test * there
were fewer Austrians than expected - now the government is advertising with
easing
after participation.
This
news ticker
is continuously updated.
Update from December 26th, 3:40 p.m.:
Despite the new
lockdown
in
Austria
, many ski lifts continue to run in the neighboring country.
"The guests are very disciplined," said the spokeswoman for the
Hochkar
and
Ötscher
ski areas
in Lower Austria,
Karin Munk
, of the APA on Saturday.
"At the moment everything is going according to plan."
The cable cars had to
reduce the
maximum
number of guests
by more than half
,
and tickets must be purchased online in advance.
Only those who have a valid ticket have access to the
ski areas
and parking spaces.
Skiers over the age of 14 must
wear
FFP2 masks
when they are in gondolas or when queuing.
Corona in Austria: The rush at Semmering causes chaos - the mayor threatens to be cordoned off
The situation is different at
Semmering
(Neukirchen district) in Lower Austria.
There, the rush over the
Christmas holidays had
caused
concern
.
According to the APA,
250 barriers were
set up
on Saturday
.
This should ensure that only a
limited number of people come
to the area.
Despite
announcements
and corresponding signs, the
distance
rules
were
not always observed.
In addition, it was
parked wildly
.
“We will control who enters the area.
If that doesn't work, we will
shut off
completely tomorrow,
”said Mayor
Hermann Doppelreiter
(ÖVP)
as quoted
by
oe24.at.
Hardly any distance: Storm on Semmering the day before the lockdown.
The coronavirus quickly became a minor matter in the meantime. Https://t.co/VdC4QjzGSX pic.twitter.com/KxvFX2vsIx
- Kronen Zeitung (@krone_at) December 25, 2020
Corona in Austria: Briefly warns - "The third wave will break in on us"
Update from December 26th, 12:48 p.m.:
The
Corona winter will
not be over that
quickly
, believes Austria's Chancellor
Sebastian Kurz *
(ÖVP).
"The first quarter of 2021 will certainly be an extreme challenge for Europe, the third wave will break in on us, and the number of infections will again increase massively in many European countries," he said in an interview with the ORF broadcaster.
Briefly further:
“After that, I assume that there will be constant relaxation due to the higher temperatures, but also due to the steadily increasing number of those who are vaccinated. And I expect that we will be able to return to
normal
in large parts in the summer
. "
He also defended his government's approach in the first wave: “It was right to react decisively early on so that the contagion numbers don't explode in the first place.
This is the best way to
deal
with this
pandemic
. ”
Austria
has been in the third lockdown since Saturday
(see update from December 26th, 10:32 am)
.
Kurz justifies the fact that ski lifts were allowed to open on December 24th with
democratic decision-making processes
.
Many federal states have fought to ensure that outdoor sports should also be possible during the lockdown.
"At the end of the day, of course, political decisions have to be made by a broad group of politicians."
Kurz is firmly convinced that
corona tests will
prevail.
"I believe tests will become an absolute normality like brushing their teeth every day in the coming months, and I think the masses of people will be happy when the tests help us reduce infection."
+
Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), Federal Chancellor of Austria
© Roland Schlager / APA / dpa
Corona in Austria: Third lockdown in the country - vaccination doses arrived
Update from December 26th,
10:32 a.m .:
Just in time for the start of the third
corona lockdown in Austria
this Saturday, the first
vaccination
doses with the agent from
Biontech and Pfizer
arrived in the country
that night
.
The delivery came from Belgium via Germany, as the authorities announced.
The approximately 10,000 cans were brought from the border crossing in Suben in Upper Austria to a warehouse in Vienna under police escort.
The vaccination campaign is to begin on Sunday, initially for over 80-year-old residents of old people's and nursing homes, similar to Germany.
Due to the shutdown *, many
shops will
now be closed until January 17th.
Grocery stores, pharmacies and drug stores, for example, are excluded.
Hairdressers and many other service providers are closed, as are cultural and leisure facilities.
In the past seven days, around 160 cases per 100,000 inhabitants were counted.
In
contrast to the previous months,
the so-called
seven-day incidence is
now below the current values in Germany.
Corona in Austria: 400 ski stations are open - only a few skiers on the way
Update from December 25th:
Much was criticized, but on the opening day itself the expected rush did not materialize.
Despite the
corona pandemic,
around 400
ski stations
in Austria
reopened
on Christmas Eve
- even though the third nationwide corona lockdown will come into force on Saturday, December 26th.
Due to the 10-day quarantine, large numbers of tourists were not expected anyway, but even for the Austrians themselves, the ski start fell into the water, as the saying goes.
In the west of Austria, Christmas was mostly rainy and snowy at higher altitudes.
There were only a few skiers on the slopes, as
reported by the
oe24.at
portal
.
In this way, at least in the winter sports regions, you could keep the necessary safety distance without any problems.
However, further lawsuits follow.
Above all, the mask requirement on and in the gondolas causes a lack of understanding.
Alois Rainer, chairman of the gastronomy department in the Tyrolean Chamber of Commerce, has a “massive lack of understanding” about the take-away regulation.
"Who will compensate the hosts for this additional damage?" He said today.
First report from December 23rd:
Vienna - The
ski lifts
are allowed to open from December 24th under strict conditions - but hardly anyone expects tourists in Austria on that day.
They have
to be in
quarantine
for
up to ten days
due to
Corona
.
The start is intended for locals anyway - but without
Ischgl
, which should mean something even to non-winter sports enthusiasts.
And
Saalbach-Hinterglemm
will not be there either.
The reason: the Austria-wide obligation
to wear
an
FFP2 mask
in the gondolas and when queuing
: "At some point it will be enough," said Isabella Dschulnigg, managing director of Saalbacher Bergbahnen, the
Salzburger Nachrichten
.
The FFP2 obligation is
unconstitutional
from the point of view of their industry
.
A cable car cannot guarantee a check of the masks, but the
legal liability
lies with the managing directors.
+
Fun in Ischgl (archive image) - before Corona
© Felix Hörhager / dpa
Ischgl tourism director on Corona in Austria: "We are in the shop window"
In Ischgl, once a
hotspot
for the spread of the corona virus, the problem is the cross-border ski area with Switzerland.
"If you make two turns in Swiss territory, you would have to be in quarantine when you return to Austria," said Ischgl's tourism director Andreas Steibl.
In
Switzerland and Austria,
completely different regulations also
prevailed
when it came to the mandatory protective masks and
catering
.
"We are in the shop window and would rather not start under these conditions." Shall now after in Austria to A start
on January 17
permanent
lockdown
sought
which also includes restaurants and hotels.
Corona mass tests in Austria: Kurz government tries a second run
In the neighboring country of Germany, the incidence value is currently around
200
.
Last Friday, the Austrian Chancellor
Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) announced
a
third hard lockdown
.
The second didn't end until December 7th.
All-day
exit
restrictions
apply again from December 26th to January 24th
.
There should be easing for citizens who take part in the
corona mass tests
planned for mid-January (15-17)
.
Specifically, that means: From December 26th.
Trade and body-close service providers are closed again.
Affected employees have the option of short-time work.
This year there will still be a sales replacement, from next year there will be a fixed cost subsidy.
- Sebastian Kurz (@sebastiankurz) December 18, 2020
The country has a different timetable than Germany:
Shops
(except pharmacies and drug stores),
museums
and
schools
have to close again - from January
18,
they should then be accessible to those citizens who
can show
a
negative test result
.
Teachers, shop assistants and public transport drivers will be retested
weekly
from this date
.
(dpa / AFP / frs)
* Merkur.de is part of the Ippen digital editorial network.
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