Anticipation of Saturday as the day of freedom
CoV policy
Large parts of the population and business people in Salzburg are also happy that many CoV restrictions were lifted next weekend. We are talking about Saturday as freedom day or freedom day. Doctors and politicians, on the other hand, hope that the steps will not burden the hospital system again.
After the many lockdowns of the last two years and the constantly changing access rules, all restrictions were lifted on Saturday. You no longer need to be recovered, vaccinated, or tested to go out to bars or restaurants. The mask and registration obligation also falls.
Night bars: “It will rumble”
On the night of Saturday, the curfew at midnight is also a thing of the past, says Ernst Pühringer, spokesman for the Salzburg innkeepers: “That means today everyone officially closes at midnight and unlocks again at 12:01 a.m. Locking up doesn’t make sense anymore. And I am happy for the colleagues in night gastronomy that they are now allowed to work again. You’ll see, things will really rumble at the weekend.”
Many cultural stages are sold out
The cultural organizers also hope that there will soon be full houses again. For literary evenings, concerts, cabarets and all similar events, neither G-rules nor upper limits for persons will apply from Saturday. Here, too, the FFP2 mask is no longer part of the wardrobe, says Thomas Randisek from the umbrella organization of Salzburg cultural sites: “I hope that the desire for art and culture will come back. Many events are fully booked again.”
Trade also applies to good sales due to the elimination of restrictions. From Saturday, masks will only be compulsory in shops for daily needs, as Manuel Mayer from the Europark shopping center describes: “Any relief is also a relief for retailers – this also affects the buying mood and frequency of customers.”
Doubters remain skeptical
For some politicians, scientists and physicians, the opening steps are a “tightrope walk”. Due to the continued high number of new infections, the City of Vienna will continue to adhere to the 2G rule in the catering trade. Salzburg could also be stronger than the federal government says it is. State Medical Director Petra Gruber-Juhasz does not believe that the population would support it if people in Salzburg took more action than the federal government prescribes.
CoV protection in retirement homes and hospitals
From Saturday, special CoV rules will only apply to groups of people at risk – in hospitals and care facilities & visitors continue to follow the 3G rules. In addition, a mask must be worn. This also applies to all employees.