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Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg with State Governors: "The dynamism is extraordinary"
Photo: photonews.at/Georges Schneider / imago images / photonews.at
People without a corona vaccination are no longer allowed to visit bars, hairdressers and events in Austria from Monday.
For tourism businesses, too, there will only be access after vaccination or recovery (2G rule).
This was announced by the government in Vienna on Friday evening after consultations with the heads of the nine federal states.
In Austria, the number of new infections is increasing rapidly in the fourth wave.
On Friday, the number of daily new corona infections stood at 9388 - close to the previous record of 9586, which was reached about a year ago. "The dynamics are extraordinary, and the occupancy rates in the intensive care beds are increasing significantly faster than expected," said Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP). "It is simply our responsibility to protect the people in our country," the conservative politician justified the drastic steps.
Originally, the government had planned to introduce a partial lockdown for unvaccinated persons only when 500 beds in intensive care units are occupied with corona patients.
Currently there are still 362, but the 500 would be reached in a few days, said Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens).
"That is why we have agreed with the federal states to ensure more security with stricter measures."
In Austria, 66.5 percent of the population have full vaccination protection - slightly below the German rate of 69 percent.
The seven-day incidence in the Alpine country was last at 522.
wal / dpa