Opinion check: How should Salzburg deal with the corona wave?
After yesterday’s Council of Ministers, at which representatives discussed how to contain the corona pandemic, Mückstein turned directly to the governors of Salzburg and Upper Austria. Salzburg’s LH, on the other hand, continues to rely on the 2-G rule that has been in force since Monday, which “is relatively equal to” a lockdown for unvaccinated people. Such a measure is also difficult or impossible to control.
For now, no lockdown in Salzburg (yet)
After the crisis summit between the federal government, Salzburg and Upper Austria, there will be no lockdown in the respective countries for the time being. The mask requirement is being expanded in both federal states. …
Willingness to vaccinate won
Haslauer currently does not consider a general lockdown to be an option. Everything should be avoided that could reduce the willingness to vaccinate, he emphasized in yesterday’s statement after the video conference with the Minister of Health. That is also the main argument against a general obligation to test, for both unvaccinated and vaccinated people.
Haslauer believes vaccination is the best way to go
Haslauer emphasized several times that vaccination is still the way to contain the infection process. As an example, he cited the Gastein Valley in Pongau, which was cordoned off in the spring of this year due to the high number of infections. The vaccination rate there is now around 70 percent and this is also reflected in the number of infections. Nowhere else in Salzburg are the contagions so low.
Hospital occupancy becomes critical
Not only the number of infections, but much more the hospital occupancy rate is currently a cause for concern. The number of corona patients in the intensive care units in Salzburg was relatively stable until a week ago. Then there was a significant increase from 15 intensive care patients on November 3rd to 25 yesterday. Haslauer expected yesterday that this “worrying trend” will continue. Last but not least, the 2-G rule that has been in place since Monday should also provide an impetus for vaccination, said the governor. That would have worked well so far, since the announcement of the tightening, the number of vaccinations has increased significantly.
Situation in Salzburg’s hospitals “escalates more and more”
With 11,398 new corona infections across Austria, a new high was reported today, and 662 new cases were added in Salzburg. The number of hospitalizations continues to rise. For die …
Booster vaccination is essential
However, it is not only important to increase initial vaccinations, it should also be motivated to booster vaccinations. The protective effect of the vaccine wears off faster than virologists initially assumed. With the AstraZeneca vaccine after four months, with Pfizer after five to six months. A booster with the Pfizer vaccine is also recommended if vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson. It is therefore an important measure to accelerate vaccination, especially for people in the 60 plus age group.
Is there a lockdown for unvaccinated people in Salzburg?
Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) will continue the consultations with the governors of Salzburg and Upper Austria on Friday. Most recently, the country chiefs had opposed a …
The federal states are talking to experts about how to proceed today. A video conference is planned for Friday noon, at which the next steps are decided with Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein.
(Source: SALZBURG24)