The traffic light commission describes the drama of the situation in an unprecedented manner. Since there is a high probability that a very high systemic risk will be reached in the hospitals, the medical care of the population is facing a serious threat.

It is therefore suggested that unvaccinated persons should also be banned from access to unnecessary retail (e.g. clothing, electronics, etc.) and museums. But it is believed that even these measures, such as mandatory health and care vaccination, which is also advocated, will not be enough.

Recommendations equivalent to lockdown

The Commission is therefore proposing more extensive steps regionally in particularly affected areas such as Upper Austria and Salzburg, which are tantamount to a lockdown. Specifically, “generally applicable reducing measures” are required, such as the restriction of high-risk and risk settings such as those in the private and public sectors, in restaurants and in non-essential retail. If a trend reversal does not occur, these measures are to be rolled out nationwide.

Stelzer announces lockdown for the unvaccinated

Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) wanted such regional lockdowns on Wednesday for Upper Austria and Salzburg, but did not prevail against the two ÖVP governors Thomas Stelzer (Upper Austria) and Wilfried Haslauer (Salzburg). Stelzer announced a lock for unvaccinated people on Thursday afternoon, where the question is how one should be checked. With the 2-G rule, unvaccinated lockdown-like rules have also been in effect since Monday – more on this in ooe.ORF.at

The problem is currently not only the development in the intensive care units, but also in the normal wards. The number of cases there is increasingly overburdening the affected facilities for the health system. The availability of qualified personnel is seen as a critical factor, especially in the current area.

Mask requirement in classes in three countries

The meeting of the commission has already had direct consequences for schools in Lower and Upper Austria as well as in Tyrol. So far, all countries have been at risk level two, which represents normal operation plus testing three times a week. That changes drastically with level three.

In addition to the mask arrangement, school events such as hiking days and ski courses are prohibited, and lessons with external partners such as associations are no longer allowed. Conferences and parenting days must take place in digital form.

All of Austria remains red

Since the 14-day trend for new infections continues to point upwards everywhere, you consequently stay at the traffic lights of all federal states in the red area, which expresses a very high risk of infection. Upper and Lower Austria, Salzburg and Vorarlberg threaten to climb above the critical 33 percent mark in intensive capacities in the next two weeks. The trend among people over 65 is still negative across the whole of Germany, and the number of infections in this age group is also increasing sharply.

How dangerous the situation in the country now is is also illustrated by the risk figure that results from the factors relevant to the coloring. The orange area of ​​the already high risk begins below 100, and the federal state with the current best value, the federal capital, is at 214. Tyrol, as the country with the worst, is at 1,057. A week ago, the risk number there was 581.

Less than a quarter asymptomatic

Only 23 percent of the cases in Austria are asymptomatic, which, however, is likely to be consistent with the more violent course of the delta variant, otherwise with the rarest test level. In Tyrol, a latecomer country in this regard, only one percent of the cases that emerged were described as asymptomatic. Vienna tests by far the most and also has a 47 percent share of asymptomatic cases.

Contact tracking only works rudimentary

Only 35 percent of cases nationwide are clarified, clearly the most in Vienna and Burgenland, the least, namely 20 and 27 percent, respectively, in Upper Austria and Tyrol. Upper Austria also has by far the highest crude as well as risk-adjusted 7-day incidence of deaths. Vöcklabruck was recently the district with the worst values ​​of Waidhofen / Ybbs and Braunau. Hollabrunn, Bruck / Mur and Mödling are still in the best shape.