Three days before the end of almost all corona restrictions, the number of new infections on Wednesday rose to the third highest value recorded by AGES since the beginning of the pandemic. There were 39,493 reported cases, and within 24 hours 47 people died with Corona, the number of hospital patients is also increasing, the increase from Tuesday to Wednesday is 69. 2622 Covid patients were treated in Austria’s hospitals yesterday.
Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) sees no reason for “concern”, as he said yesterday, and confirmed the easing from Saturday. “We see that the number of hospitalizations, especially those in the intensive care units, are still within the range of the forecasts and from the current perspective no increase is to be expected that would endanger the system,” says Mückstein.
The end of the semester break means that “tests are now being carried out again at schools and workplaces in the country” throughout Austria, hence the increasing number of cases. As reported, masks have no longer been compulsory in class since Monday.
Yesterday’s value for new infections also exceeds the calculations of the Covid forecast consortium, which expected the 30,000 mark to be just exceeded this week with a 95 percent probability. Niki Popper from the Vienna University of Technology qualifies that a daily value alone is not meaningful. The prognosis consortium to which he belongs assumes a plateau below 30,000 daily cases. According to experts, the BA.2 variant is now dominant throughout Austria.
Gecko boss Katharina Reich confirmed in the OÖN interview that a “quick drop” is not yet in sight, but “we are already expecting a clear downward trend for March”.
Officials back from the home office
As reported, the G-rules for access to almost all areas (with the exception of hospitals, old people’s and nursing homes) will fall on Saturday, the curfew will be abolished, night catering will be allowed to open again, and there will also be fewer restrictions for events. Only Vienna continues to follow a stricter path. Mückstein’s exact regulation is still pending.
The government also announced yesterday that the recommendation to work from home in the public sector would end. Popper comments skeptically: “I don’t get any panic attacks because of it, but I don’t know whether it’s necessary everywhere, because it will drive the infections up.”
Vaccination consultations in the final
The four experts in the compulsory vaccination commission still have time for their consultations until Tuesday. The government is expecting a recommendation by March 8th on how to proceed with the mandatory corona vaccination that came into force at the beginning of February.
Gecko boss Katharina Reich confirmed in an appearance in the OÖNachrichten-Forum that the entry into force of phases two and three “now depends directly on how the commission decides”. According to the original plans, phase two should make the violation of the vaccination requirement a control offense from March 16th. In phase three, which has not yet been fixed at all, vaccination deadlines should then be set on which those who have not been vaccinated are automatically reminded of the sting and, if necessary, asked to pay fines.
She expects that “we will make a bit of progress on the subject of compulsory vaccination” after the expert decision. Reich also spoke of a “tool box” from which the right tool could be pulled at the appropriate time. The government recently agreed on this language rule after some teething problems on the sensitive issue.
Vaccination is still the best way to fight the pandemic. Reich appealed “that schoolchildren also come to be vaccinated, that vaccination is part of the self-image that they need”. In addition, Reich also promoted the wearing of masks: Even if this will no longer be prescribed everywhere, “everyone can and should wear the mask if they think it is good and right”.
Source: Nachrichten
