Austria wants to open up.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz confirms opening steps in May.
Corona rules for culture, gastronomy and sport relaxed.
The news ticker.
Austria wants to open gastro, hotels, culture & sport.
The date for the opening has been fixed
(update from April 23, 3:45 p.m.).
Tyrol is still a long way from easing - escape mutants threaten opening
steps (see update from April 22nd, 4:56 p.m. and 9:51 p.m.).
The Alpine republic has exceeded the mark of 10,000 corona fatalities.
(see update from April 21, 12:59 p.m.)
This news ticker about the corona crisis in Austria is updated regularly.
Update from April 23, 10:05 p.m.:
From May 19, there should be far-reaching loosening and openings in almost all areas of life, as well as for gastronomy and culture in Austria.
This was announced by Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) on Friday afternoon.
A decision that does not trigger happy reactions from all Austrians.
There was harsh criticism from ex-interior minister and FPÖ club chairman Herbert Kickl, for whom the measures apparently did not go far enough.
"That is lived bondage, and this bondage is a crime against the Austrians," said Kickl about the announced measures.
By adhering to an FFP2 mask requirement and the fact that many openings are linked to proof of a negative test or a vaccination, the FPÖ politician sees “more conditions than freedom.” The openings from May 19 would “die Taking Corona Apartheid to the extreme, ”said the 52-year-old on his party's official website.
Corona in Austria: Chancellor Kurz announces wide-ranging openings
Update from April 23, 3:45 p.m
.: Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) confirms opening steps from May 19.
From this date, gastronomy, tourism and events, for example in the cultural sector, will be possible again.
Face-to-face classes in the school are scheduled to start on May 17th.
All sports should then be possible.
"The light of the tunnel is getting brighter," said Kurz.
The vaccinations are progressing, so there could be opening steps with a “clear security concept”.
The prerequisite for access will be the Green Pass - everyone must either be tested, recovered or vaccinated.
"Indoor gymnastics, children's gymnastics and back exercises are then possible again," said Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) at a press conference in Vienna.
Outdoor and indoor events should be possible again.
Access tests are necessary for this.
In closed rooms, 20 square meters should be available per person.
The culture rule also applies to spectators in sport: a maximum of 50 percent of the seats should be occupied, the number is limited to “1,500 indoor” and “3,000 outdoor”.
"On May 19, the curtain will be raised again" - theater, readings and concerts are possible within the rules, said the Green politician.
He announced further opening steps for the summer.
Vacation in Austria possible again
According to the government, Germans who want to go on vacation in Austria can also plan again.
The quarantine obligation only applies to high-risk areas.
A negative test or the green passport are sufficient for entry from Germany.
Austria's opening timetable: The opening will start on Wednesday, May 19th
Update from April 23, 11:20 am:
From 11 am, Austria's "Opening Commission" meets with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler. Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein will also be there for the first time. The topic of the meeting is major opening steps that are to be implemented “in mid-May”. The result will be announced at 2 p.m. As the newspaper
Austria found out
yesterday evening, it will open from May 19th. That would be the Wednesday before Pentecost. According to this, Kurz and Kogler have already agreed on this with the opening commission in a preliminary meeting. From this date onwards, the gastronomy should be allowed to serve both indoors and outdoors. However, entry tests are required (antigen or PCR). According to
oe24
-Information will also be allowed self-tests.
However, they are only valid for 24 hours, antigen tests should be valid for 48 hours, and PCR tests for 72 hours.
+
The new Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) was only sworn in on Monday in the presidential office.
© Roland Schlager / dpa / picture alliance
The curfew in the gastronomy should be at 10 p.m.
In addition, a maximum of two households can sit at one table.
When entering the restaurant and when going to the toilet, for example, an FFP2 mask is required.
Other areas to be opened are cultural establishments and hotels.
There, too, there will be compulsory testing and, in some cases, a mask.
There are further relaxations in the sports area.
From May 19th, some sports should be allowed again.
In addition, there should be spectators again in professional sports.
There will also be an FFP2 mask requirement in the stadiums.
Mutant in Austria: Great concern in Tyrol
Update from April 22nd, 9:51 p.m.:
The escape mutant B1.1.7 + E484K causes great concern in the Austrian Tyrol.
This escape mutation now dominates in the state and could even avoid vaccinations, as
reported by
oe24.de.
The mutant is a mixed variant of the South African and the British version of the virus (
see update from 4:56 p.m.
).
The new mutation is "worrying because it is more infectious than the South African variant," Ulrich Elling from the Institute for Molecular Biotechnology told
OESTERREICH
.
The previously dominant South Africa variant could have been brought under control in Tyrol because it was less contagious and a lockdown applied, Elling continued to analyze.
According to the expert, the current measures with regard to the escape mutant would not be sufficient.
He called for a "spring rest" for the state.
Update from April 22nd, 6:08 pm
: The
mandatory
exit test for Tyrol will be extended until May 5th.
The epidemiological situation and the increased occurrence of virus mutations, in particular the mutated British variant B.1.1.7 E484K
(see update from 4:56 p.m.)
prompted the authorities to take this measure, Tyrol announced in a press release.
According to the authorities, Tyrol currently has a 7-day incidence of 213.2.
Across Austria, the value is 181.9.
Corona in Austria: Escape mutant in Tyrol on the rise
Update from April 22nd, 4:56 p.m
.: Tyrol is developing into a corona problem again.
A so-called "escape mutation" is spreading rapidly.
This is the corona mutation B.1.1.7 with the additional change called E484K, a so-called escape mutation (in German: flight mutation).
The special form B.1.1.7 E484K seems to protect the virus from antibodies.
It tricks people's immune defenses, for example after surviving an infection or after a vaccination.
Austria: Tyrol hotspot for flight mutation
The fear of rapid spread is growing, as
reported by
derstandard.at
. So far, only individual cases have been reported from Austria. In Tyrol, however, the number has increased sharply. Why Tyrol is a hotspot for this worrying virus mutation (VOC) is currently being researched. Tourismusland Tirol relies on testing to get the Corona case numbers under control. Tyrol wants to start opening in mid-May, said Governor Günther Platter (ÖVP) at a press conference on Thursday. After the total failure of the winter season, the Austrian state wanted to get back on the road to success. There are prospects for the summer season.
In view of the latest developments in Tyrol, experts are calling for tougher measures and contact restrictions.
Testing alone would no longer be enough.
Gastronomy, culture and sport should open up again in Austria (see first report from April 22nd).
After an “opening summit” this Friday, the steps in all areas are to be announced.
Corona: Austria complains of more than 10,000 Covid deaths
Update from April 21, 12:59 p.m.:
Exactly 406 days after the first corona death occurred in Austria on March 12 of last year, the Alpine republic has now exceeded the sad mark of a total of 10,000 deaths.
With the 29 new fatalities reported on Thursday, the total number in Austria is now 10,026 since the pandemic began.
In the second and third waves of the corona pandemic in Austria in particular, the number of corona deaths rose sharply.
In the past six months alone, around 9,000 people died in connection with the coronavirus in the Alpine republic - since the beginning of 2021 there have been almost 4,000. Last December, an action in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna commemorated the then 5,000 deaths of the pandemic.
On April 16 of this year there was also a commemorative event at the Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
+
Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) at a memorial ceremony for the victims of the corona pandemic in April.
(Archive image)
© Herbert Neubauer / dpa
Corona in Austria: Health Minister Mückstein warns of a "deceptive" situation
Update from April 21, 6.45 p.m.:
Even if Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz wants to give the citizens of his country back a piece of normality by opening restaurants, hotels, culture and sports facilities in the summer, the new Health Minister of the Alpine Republic, Wolfgang Mückstein, urges caution. "It doesn't look rosy," said the doctor when he made his first appearance in front of the Austrian National Council. One should not underestimate the pandemic situation now, demanded Mückstein and spoke of a "deceptive" situation.
The 46-year-old, who took over the post of health minister after his predecessor Rudolf Anschober resigned for health reasons, however, also showed understanding for the concerns of the population in his speech.
“I too want to meet my friends again, go on vacation to Greece and get my old life back,” explains the Green politician.
When it comes to protecting life, however, no compromises should be made, said Mückstein.
Corona in Austria: Brief gives hope - gradual openings from mid-May
First report from April 21:
Vienna - The number of new corona infections in Austria is still at a high level.
On Wednesday (April 21) alone, 2,377 new cases were reported.
The capital Vienna is particularly affected.
The city recorded 714 new infections of the corona virus * on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, Austria * wants to gradually open it from mid-May - with a so-called Green Pass.
The reported
oe24.at
.
Green passport in Austria: A little bit of normalcy could return with the new QR code
The Green Pass should be played on the mobile phone as a kind of QR code, all important information should be available there
.
In order to get to the restaurant or shop, according to the report, either a negative test result (PCR or antigen), the vaccination or the notification of recovery after a corona disease should be necessary.
All of this will be stored in the Green Pass.
Restaurants and hotels should be allowed to reopen in mid-May
Austria's Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz * wants to give his citizens back a piece of normality.
With this Green Pass, restaurant visits should be possible both outside and inside from mid-May.
However, should each table only a maximum of two households sit on a maximum number of people indoors will be discussed, reports
oe24.at
on.
There should be a gastro curfew at 8 p.m. with a high degree of probability.
Kurz also wants the hotels to be allowed to reopen.
Every citizen with a Green Pass can then stay overnight in hotels again.
+
According to a report, Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz wants openings in Austria from mid-May.
© Georg Hochmuth / dpa
Fitness centers and clubs have to wait until June to open
In culture, too, things should go uphill again.
Cinemas and theaters should be able to receive visitors again with the QR code.
However, every second seat had to remain empty in order to keep the distance.
Austria has also come up with a plan when it comes to sport.
Hobby sports should be possible again, and the open-air swimming pools should also be opened.
Visits to the stadium should also be allowed again under strict conditions.
Fitness center visitors and party goers, however, would have to be patient -
according
to the
oe24
report, almost everything should open again
from the end of June
.
The specific opening plan is currently being drawn up by the opening commission.
Chancellor Kurz hopes that there will be less and less need for short-time work
Kurz also assumes that 200,000 people will be able to work normally again by the summer, writes
oe24.a
t.
Then the short-time working will be needed less and less, announced the Chancellor.
However, he emphasizes that “tailor-made” solutions are still needed for sectors that are particularly affected, such as city hotels.
You can find everything about the corona situation in Germany in the current news ticker.
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List of rubric lists: © Roland Schlager / dpa / picture alliance
