Specifically, this time 14,518 tests took place, last time it was around 19,600. In the tests organized by the Ministry of Education, the positive rate was 1.1 percent (previous week: 1.6). Six schools and an additional 869 classes are currently closed by health authorities (last nine schools, 1,198 classes).
In Vienna, an infection was registered in 6,023 schoolchildren (previous week: 6,582), whereby a different test system is used here with “Everything gargles” than in the other countries. In the other federal states, too, there was a decrease in the number of positive tests, some of which was significant. In Upper Austria there were 2,267 (previous week: 3,533), in Lower Austria 2,146 (2,669), in Styria 1,480 (2,580), in Tyrol 653 (1,157), in Salzburg 609 (1,080), in Carinthia 591 (960), in Vorarlberg 434 (602 ) and in Burgenland 315 (450).
Test strategy and mask rules are retained
The schools are currently testing three times a week, twice using the more meaningful PCR method. In addition, the students must wear mouth and nose protection outside of their classrooms or group rooms or FFP2 masks from the upper school. Minister of Education Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) recently rejected a return to the continuous mask requirement, which was recently called for by some quarters in view of the record number of infections. The test regime and mask rules should be maintained until Easter.
Source: Nachrichten
