The Republic of Austria will shortly be introducing new entry requirements. According to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) and Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens), commuters are primarily affected. In future, they will have to present a negative corona test once a week.

Both were taciturn in the press conference about what will generally change. Kurz spoke of the fact that the “border regime must be sharpened” and that one wants to prevent “mutations from being brought in.” It cannot be completely prevented, but at least “postpone the point in time”. The mutations and their rapid spread would be a major challenge. The Austrian Chancellor did not say a word about what will be tightened specifically. In Germany, night exit restrictions will be practiced from 20:00 p.m.

Ludwig has no understanding for "playing golf in South Africa"

Health Minister Anschober only responded to the commuters and announced that they would have to present a negative test result once a week in the future. It should also affect "in essential areas people who come from countries in which the mutations have occurred heavily". The green politician did not say which states are meant or what effects this will have for travelers. He pointed out that "the British and South African mutations are already appearing in parts of Austria" and that they will "act very, very consistently and uncompromisingly."

Vienna's Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) added that he had no sympathy for people who “fly to South Africa to play golf there and at the same time expose other people to incalculable risks”. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is to announce details of the new restrictions on entry on Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. The following circumstance is unusual: the ordinances are signed by Rudolf Anschober and not by the Minister of the Interior.

"I assume. As far as we know today, we will have the opportunity to vaccinate over a million people in the first quarter. This affects over 80s and health workers, police and so on. in the second quarter we expect several million vaccine doses and that will mean that we can return to normal in the summer. It will still need a few rules, but I assume that you can spend a normal holiday again and also in Austria, because Austrian tourism has been hit hard, ”said Kurz when asked whether you would be back in the summer of 2021 will be able to spend a normal vacation on the beach.

When asked whether open ski areas and illegally opened hotels have an impact on the infection rate and whether people are fed up with the Corona measures, Austria's Chancellor replied: "When I talk to the other heads of government, I keep hearing that the people who lose the patience and willingness to adhere to the measures. Regardless of whether the country is cold or warm, or whether there are mountains or it is flat. This is completely human behavior and people suffer from the fact that they haven't been able to meet for a beer for months. It is quite normal that many do not manage to adhere to this 100 percent. Of course you get upset about people who deliberately do not adhere to them, but that doesn't trigger me to deliberately not adhere to the measures ”.

Hairdresser only with a negative corona test

According to Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), trade should be allowed to reopen on February 8, 2021. Wearing FFP2 masks will be mandatory. In future, operators will have to provide 20 square meters per customer. This means that fewer people are allowed to enter the sales rooms. Rudolf Anschober added that in future the FFP2 masks must be worn wherever masking is required. The regulation would shortly also change those areas in which MNS is still permitted to FFP2.

Anyone who wants to go to the hairdresser or other body-hugging service providers in the future must submit a negative corona test. This must be a maximum of 48 hours old and can be done privately and for a fee at doctors and pharmacists. Aviation Direct has provided a list of authorized pharmacies under this link. In short: “You can of course also use the free test offers from cities and federal states. There is no alternative to the entry tests, because the only alternative would have been to leave the body-hugging service providers closed ”.

Sebastian Kurz said that the results are recognized in both paper and digital form. “The SMS result of the test can also be shown digitally on the mobile phone. That is not a problem and we have explicitly agreed this with the Chamber of Commerce. We hope that in a few months we will no longer need such measures. ”According to the Chancellor, this has to be checked by the respective company - the company may only accept customers if the result is negative. So-called home tests are to be gradually established. The federal government procured around five million pieces that will initially be used in schools.

Students should be tested twice a week

The schools in the eastern federal states will switch to face-to-face operations from February 8, 2021. The west follows a week later, as the semester break starts there a week later than in the east. The primary school students should have normal lessons. Shift work is being created in the lower and upper grades, which the Chancellor explained as follows: “The pupils are tested twice a week. The result is valid for 48 hours. The testing takes place at the beginning of school. For the lower and upper grades, this means that group A is tested on Monday and then has lessons on Monday and Tuesday. Group B will be tested on Wednesday and tested on Wednesday and Thursday. The elementary school students have normal lessons and are tested twice a week ”.

According to Sebastian Kurz, only students who have been tested are allowed to take part in face-to-face lessons. “It is irresponsible if the teachers and, for example, 20 students get tested and one does not. So-called nasal vestibule tests, which do not hurt, are used. If you don't want to be tested, you can do distance learning. We do not allow a few to endanger many ”.

Why wasn't that implemented earlier? To this question, Anschober replied evasively that they now have other tests and will no longer use the classic antigen tests. "In my opinion, the new tests are special children's tests and are much more pleasant," said Austria's Minister of Health.

What are the next steps?

Nobody really knows at the moment. The Federal Chancellor announced that the government and the provincial governors would meet again on February 15, 2021. Then it should be decided whether tourism and gastronomy will be allowed to open in March. However, Kurz also points out that a sharp increase in new infections can worsen again.

When asked which requirements must be met, the Chancellor said that it would be difficult to answer. You are currently in a sideways movement, as the mutations are growing rapidly. “We can all take it for granted that the numbers are increasing. But the question is how fast they are increasing. If we can stand there in a few weeks and say yes they are increasing, but not explosively, then we can talk about easing. According to experts, the target value must be around 50 per 100.000 inhabitants, ”said Kurz. “As long as we manage to stay the same or increase slowly, we can be satisfied in a European comparison. If a federal state reaches an incidence value of more than 200, we have to talk to each other because then the alarm bells will ring ”. In any case, they want to advise on regional measures if necessary.