The corona numbers in Austria seem stable, but you have to struggle with virus variants.
After the summit on Monday, Chancellor Kurz initially rejected further openings.
Coronavirus pandemic in Austria: Chancellor Sebastian Kurz * invited to the corona summit on Monday (February 15).
Kurz announced further opening steps around Easter at the earliest.
(Update from February 15, 4:55 p.m.)
There is criticism of the government from the opposition.
(see update from February 15, 5:30 p.m.)
This news ticker on the corona crisis in the Alpine republic is continuously updated.
Update from February 16, 9.55 a.m.:
The strategy in the fight against the
corona virus
in Austria is: testing.
This became clear at the press conference following the Corona summit on Monday.
Federal Chancellor Kurz stated that around two million people can be tested this week and described Austria as a kind of European testing champion.
He also announced free "living room tests" from March 1st.
A target incidence value has been abandoned in the Alpine republic - Kurz described a 7-day incidence of 50 as unrealistic.
The current goal is to “keep the number of infections under control as much as possible”.
Stable infection numbers are also "the value" to be able to set further opening steps "from Easter at the earliest", explained Kurz.
The next Corona summit is scheduled to take place on March 1st.
+
After the Corona summit, Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced further opening steps “around Easter at the earliest”.
© Georg Hochmuth / dpa
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober joined the chancellor's praise for the test strategy.
"This is something very, very unique that has been created here in Austria," he said, speaking of a further expansion of access testing.
These are "unique" and an "Austrian strategy", so Anschober.
"If we test, test, test - then this is the alternative to lockdown," emphasized the state chief of Styria, Hermann Schützenhöfer (ÖVP).
There was strong criticism of the government's actions from the opposition
(see update from February 15, 5:30 p.m.)
.
FPÖ politician Herbert Kickl scoffed, for example, on Monday that people were “showered with self-praise”.
The dispute over border controls was not a big issue at the press conference in the Federal Chancellery.
Corona in Austria: 7-day incidence of 50 according to Kurz "not realistic"
Update from February 16, 8:36 a.m
.: The British virus mutation in Upper Austria and the South African one in Tyrol have increased, emphasized Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Monday evening.
Be careful.
Openings are not planned until after Easter
(see update from February 15, 5:30 p.m.).
As of November 2, 2020, restaurants, theaters, cinemas and hotels have been closed to holidaymakers.
The 7-day incidence in Austria is 107 (data status: Sunday: 2 p.m.).
A 7-day incidence of 50 is unrealistic, emphasized Kurz, as
reported by
ORF.at.
Even if the government hopes that the corona situation in Austria will improve in the coming warmer season combined with the increasing vaccination rate.
Corona in Austria: Lockdown until Easter outraged opposition
Update from February 15, 5.30 p.m.:
No opening before Easter: The Austrian government emphasized this repeatedly and urgently at the press conference on Monday evening.
This is especially true for the entire gastronomy of the neighboring country.
Health Minister Rudi Anschober also referred explicitly to the outside areas of the restaurants: “If the gastronomy does not open, the pub gardens will not open either.” Recently there had been increasing demands from the ranks of Austrian politicians in this regard.
"If everyone is not careful here, we will quickly find exponential growth again," emphasized Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
In contrast, there was criticism from the ranks of the opposition.
The government “showered self-praise” on Monday, scoffed FPÖ politician Herbert Kickl at oe24.
In order to be able to continue the massive restrictions, the government paints the specter of mutations on the wall.
Anschober warned against playing down the current corona numbers.
Starting next week, the effect of the lockdown will gradually decrease and the effect of the increase in mutation cases will be noticeable.
+
The Austrian Minister of Health Rudi Anschober makes it clear: The pub gardens will also remain closed until Easter.
© Georg Hochmuth / dpa
Update from February 15, 4:52 pm:
"We still have a stable infection
situation
in Austria," said Kurz at the press conference following the Corona summit on Monday.
However, one has to struggle with the spread of the virus variants, especially in Tyrol.
"Great caution is still necessary," said Chancellor Kurz.
Austria continues to rely more and more on corona testing.
"This week we will perhaps be able to carry out over 2 million tests in Austria", explained Kurz.
When it comes to testing, you are a pioneer in Europe, said the Chancellor.
He sees this as a good chance of keeping the infection process under control.
From March 1st, free "living room tests" will be available in pharmacies
(see update from February 15th, 1:45 pm)
.
Chancellor Kurz currently sees no scope for further openings.
He announced new consultations in 14 days in the Federal Chancellery in Vienna.
On March 1, further opening steps in Austria are to be discussed at a corona summit.
"At the earliest, we expect further opening steps around Easter," explained Kurz.
+
Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) at the Corona summit in Vienna.
© Alex Halada / imago-images
Update from February 15, 4.15 p.m.:
Since the morning, experts from all disciplines in Austria have been advising the government and the heads of the opposition, then the governors.
It is certain that no further opening steps will be decided today.
The daily
today
even reported that the "soft" lockdown, which engages in a week could be extended until Easter.
Around 4.30 p.m., Chancellor Sebastian Kurz wants to take a position at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna.
Corona in Austria: First Tyrolean ski areas close
Update from February 15, 3:35 p.m.:
If you want to ski in Tyrol, you must have a negative corona test from today.
For the first ski areas in Tyrol, it is apparently no longer worth unlocking.
"Due to the current developments with renewed tightening for the Tyrolean ski areas, the Bergbahnen Sölden unfortunately no longer see themselves in a position to guarantee a satisfactory and responsible ski operation", the Bergbahnen Sölden shared on Facebook.
Ski operations will therefore be "suspended until further notice" from Monday.
According to a report from
krone.at, the
“Steinplatte” ski area in the Tyrolean Unterland will also
no longer open.
Corona in Austria: SPÖ boss Rendi-Wagner warns of further lockdowns
Update from February 15, 1:45 p.m .:
"Even if there are now in all probability no further openings, the risk of a new lockdown in just a few weeks is very high," said SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner on Monday.
In her opinion, the end of the lockdown at the beginning of last week was clearly too early.
This also shows the unsafe situation in Tyrol and the development of virus mutations.
Rendi-Wagner warned against “constant unlocking and locking with further lockdowns”.
You need security and control over the corona situation.
+
Party leader of the SPÖ: Pamela Rendi-Wagner.
© Georg Hochmuth / dpa
Corona in Austria: "Living room tests" available in pharmacies from March
From March 1st, Austria will further expand its Corona test offer.
Corona self-tests for at home, so-called "living room tests", will then be available free of charge in pharmacies.
The Austrian news agency APA reported on Monday that up to five of these should be available per person.
They are intended solely for self-monitoring and cannot be used as access tests for visits by hairdressers or other body-hugging service providers.
One week after the lockdown in Austria was eased, record numbers were recorded in testing.
Without schools, around 1.5 million antigen and PCR tests were carried out within seven days.
According to the Ministry of Education, due to the resumption of face-to-face teaching in schools, 2.2 million tests are now on the program every week for students, teachers and administrative staff.
“We're among the countries that test the most in Europe.
With the school tests we are the first in Europe, ”reported Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP).
Corona in Austria: Obligation to test in Tyrol's ski areas does not apply to piste tourers
Update from February 15, 9.55 a.m.: Stricter entry rules
came into force on the German border with Tyrol on Sunday.
The German Police Union welcomed the border controls and at the same time warned against too many exceptions.
"The fewer exceptions there are, the better the controls, which are not carried out to harass people, but to protect their lives," said Federal Chairman Rainer Wendt.
Not everyone who claims it is systemically relevant.
One of these exceptions has now been in effect in Tyrol's ski areas since Monday.
A test is mandatory for people who want to hit the ski slopes.
However, ski tourers are excluded from this.
The state of Tyrol announced that the ordinance would be further specified in this regard.
It was originally planned that the use of ski slopes during operating hours would require a negative antigen or PCR test that was no longer than 48 hours old.
Corona in Austria: Today probably no further opening steps at the summit in Vienna
Two weeks ago, the first opening steps for Austria after the lockdown were decided at a Corona summit in Vienna.
From February 8th, trade and body-friendly services were allowed to start operations.
Talks between the government around Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), experts, as well as the opposition and the state governors are scheduled for Monday (February 15).
+
The Austrian government around Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is meeting for another Corona summit in Vienna.
(Archive image)
© Georg Hochmuth / dpa
However, new openings are not expected - even though the catering trade actually wanted to reopen in March.
However, the corona infection numbers in Austria are still high.
In addition, the risk of further spread of the corona mutation, which has sealed off Tyrol, is too great.
As the newspaper
Austria
claims to have learned from government circles, restaurants and hotels should not open again until March 15 at the earliest, but more likely after Easter, i.e. at the beginning of April.
Corona in Austria: Health Minister Anschober warns of a further increase in the numbers
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) said on Sunday that he feared a further increase in the number of infections.
The effects of the lockdown would have shaped developments, but are now gradually waning.
"From the coming week we have to assume that this secondary effect will gradually decrease and the sharply increasing proportion of mutations with a higher risk of infection will mean that the number of infections will gradually increase in the coming weeks," said Anschober.
Corona in Austria: Trouble from Vienna about the border closure between Bavaria and Tyrol
Update from February 14, 7:35 p.m.:
In Austria, the coronavirus pandemic is spreading open rage about the border
closure
between Bavaria and Tyrol.
Chancellor Kurz 'Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (both ÖVP) is now attacking Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) unusually hard.
"Pointing a finger at the state of Tyrol is more of a provocation than a suitable measure to contain the pandemic and its effects," said Nehammer from Vienna with a view to Munich.
The Austrian Minister of the Interior even sees the border closure as "a threat to the security of supply in large parts of Europe - which the Bavarian Prime Minister deliberately negates."
Tyrol is not the parking lot of Europe, but rather the most important connection axis between the south and the north of the European states ”.
Pointing the finger at the state of Tyrol is more of a provocation.
Austria's Interior Minister Karl Nehammer on the closure of the Bavarian-German border
Coronavirus pandemic in Austria: Only with a negative corona test on the ski slopes
Update from February 14th, 7.15 p.m
.: Tyrol continues to react to the spreading coronavirus mutation and is now taking harder action where there were previously many exceptions - on the ski slopes.
+
Hardly anything going on in Corona times: the Ski World Wilder Kaiser in Tyrol's Brixental.
© IMAGO / Roland Mühlanger
After all, the ski areas are a very important industry in western Austria and a job engine.
But: Anyone who wants to ski down a ski slope in Tyrol from now on and use the associated lifts and gondolas must carry a negative Corona test with them.
The state government from Innsbruck announced this Sunday evening.
Children under ten years of age are excluded, the new regulation is to apply from this Monday (February 15).
Coronavirus pandemic in Austria: crisis summit in Vienna - German ambassador summoned
Update from February 14th, 6:50 p.m
.: The border closure between Bavaria and Tyrol is becoming a major political point of contention between Austria and Germany in the coronavirus pandemic.
As the
Tiroler Tageszeitung
reports, the federal government in Vienna summoned the German ambassador to a crisis summit this Sunday evening, which was also attended by Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (both ÖVP) and the Italian ambassador.
Coronavirus pandemic in Austria: huge dispute with Germany over border closure
Topics are therefore the possible transit for Tyroleans via the so-called Small and Large German Corner to other Austrian areas and the maintenance of freight traffic.
To put it into context: the so-called Deutsches Eck is the more convenient road and rail link between the greater Salzburg area and western Austria with Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
Due to the strict border controls, this stretch is practically tight.
Because the Corona mutations spread strongly in Tyrol (around 1.8 million inhabitants), Germany and Bavaria have closed the border with the Austrian state.
Tyroleans do not come to Germany for the time being and cannot use the Federal Republic to travel through to eastern Austria.
Above all, the Tyrolean district of Schwaz, which borders the Bavarian districts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen and Miesbach, was recently seen as a mutation hotspot.
Coronavirus pandemic in Austria: The South African corona mutation is raging in Tyrol
First report from February 14th:
Munich / Vienna - The mutation is raging in Tyrol, in Vienna people are demonstrating for opening steps.
In this area of tension, the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz will meet with his Vice Werner Kogler, Health Minister Rudi Anschober and various experts on Monday to discuss how to proceed in the Corona crisis.
However, there will probably not be any further easing.
At least in February there should be no further opening, the news portal
OE24.at
wants to have
learned
from government
circles
.
“The catering and hotel industry will not be able to unlock until March at the earliest, if things go bad, it may not be until after Easter”, a negotiator told the news site.
Shops, hairdressing salons and cosmetic studios were allowed to reopen last Monday under stricter distance rules.
Corona in Austria: Summit with Kurz and experts should point the way
The restaurateurs are probably putting increasing pressure on politicians and, following the steps taken so far, they hope that the restaurants will open soon.
There is also resentment against the government's course in parts of the population.
According to the police, up to 2000 people took to the streets in Vienna against the Corona * measures, despite a ban on demonstrations.
They gathered on Saturday for a “walk” in front of the Karlskirche and demanded the resignation of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
The police reportedly filed several hundred reports because participants did not keep the prescribed minimum distances or refused to wear a mouth and nose cover.
The authorities had banned six corona rallies registered for the weekend after massive violations of the corona rules had occurred during protests in the past.
Vaccination plan in Austria: Almost half of all Austrians should be vaccinated by summer
The Austrian authorities announced more than 1,400 new cases of infection in the country with 8.9 million inhabitants on Saturday.
The number of new infections seems to have remained largely stable, but the South African variant * that has spread in Tyrol is worrying the government.
For this reason, Germany has now introduced strict controls at the Bavarian border.
In Austria, too, the greatest hope for combating pandemics rests on vaccines *.
According to
OE24
information, the
Alpine country has now
reordered six million vaccine doses.
Around four million citizens should be vaccinated with it by the summer.
A vaccine is to be made available to all those willing to vaccinate by the end of September, according to the official plan.
(mam / AFP) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network
List of rubric lists: © Georg Hochmuth
