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Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz: "The situation has worsened significantly"
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GEORG HOCHMUTH / AFP
Austria extends the corona lockdown by another two weeks.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz justified this on Sunday by saying that mutations of the virus had now also arrived in Austria.
The situation has worsened again significantly.
The goal is now to reopen trade and museums under strict security precautions from February 8th.
However, the daily reported new infections should decrease significantly, said Kurz.
That was how long exit restrictions and distance learning schools remained in place.
Initially, easing was planned for January 25th.
However, due to the new virus mutation discovered in the UK, experts had warned against opening too early.
The highly contagious virus variant B.1.1.7 is already relatively widespread in Austria based on initial findings.
In addition, the safety distance that people in Austria should keep from one to two meters.
As in Bavaria, FFP2 masks must now be worn in shops and public transport.
The government also appealed to companies to let employees work from home whenever possible.
At present, Austrians are only allowed to leave their home for valid reasons, which include, in addition to various basic needs such as shopping or a doctor's visit, work or education, as well as outdoor recreation.
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