In view of the escalating number of infections and increasing utilization of hospital and intensive care beds, the federal government has once again invited to a corona summit for Friday evening. Even if numerous scientists and doctors are now pushing for stricter measures, the federal government adhered to the existing step-by-step plan in advance – and referred to the possibility of stricter regional regulations.
Most governors, however, argue for nationwide uniform measures – the current patchwork of measures is difficult to understand. Lower Austria could well imagine “extensive 2G in the leisure sector”, ie “restrictions for those who have not been vaccinated, but not for those who have been vaccinated or those who have recovered”.
However, no further tightening is possible for Burgenland, said Governor Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ), referring to the high vaccination rate in the state. Vienna, on the other hand, pushed ahead on Thursday: In the federal capital, from the end of next week, only those who have been vaccinated and tested are allowed to go to bars, to hairdressers or other body-friendly service providers and to meetings with more than 25 people.
On Thursday, the number of new infections rose massively, by almost a third to almost 8,600 cases. That is only 1,000 less than the previous high of November 13, 2020. For the first time since the end of April, the traffic light commission set all of Austria to red again. The increases in hospital numbers were also worrying: 1,826 Covid-19 patients were treated in hospitals on Thursday, 352 in intensive care units.
Vaccination breakthroughs have also increased sharply. Therefore, at the Corona summit, the fastest possible implementation of the “booster vaccinations” and an additional test obligation for vaccinated and convalescent people will be discussed. The latter have also suggested several experts – also FFP2 compulsory in (public) indoor spaces, 2G for gastronomy, hairdressing and events and return to the home office.