Austria: plan for new corona measures 2G and compulsory PCR test
In view of the increasing number of infections, the Austrian government decided on Wednesday a step-by-step plan to tighten the corona measures. As the Austrian news agency APA reported, the manipulations are now on the intensive care bed occupancy. The rules for unvaccinated people in particular are being tightened.
According to the government’s plan, unvaccinated people will probably have to wear FFP2 masks again in all shops and public transport from next Wednesday, September 15. From an intensive care bed occupancy rate of ten percent (level one), all people should wear FFP2 masks again where only mouth and nose cover is currently required.
In addition, the glow time for antigen tests is reduced from 48 to 24 hours. Ten percent utilization of the intensive care beds is expected in Austria in the coming week. It is currently eight percent. On Wednesday, 180 Covid-19 patients were in intensive care units across Austria.
Further tightening levels
In an intensive care bed occupancy rate of 15 percent (level two), the much-debated 2G regulation should then take effect in the first areas. Anyone who wants to come to the so-called night gastronomy or an event with more than 500 people must either be vaccinated or recovered. Self-tests should no longer apply.
From an intensive care bed occupancy rate of 20 percent (level three), only PCR tests should then apply in 3G areas. This then applies to restaurants, hotels and cultural institutions, for example.
When presenting the plan, Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said that the new wave of infections was “a pandemic of the unvaccinated”: “Those who do not get vaccinated will be infected sooner or later.” The incidence in Austria is currently around 140, in Vorarlberg 117.