Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) had announced that Upper Austria would remain closed at least until December 17th. In order to minimize “the damage to the domestic stationary trade”, the Upper Austria must be opened. Business at the same time with the other federal states, so WKOÖ trade chairman Ernst Wiesinger.
He advocated that the unlocking should take place nationwide, “because the buying behavior of customers does not stop at the federal state borders”. The WKOÖ also made it clear that opening on Sunday, December 19, must be guaranteed by a state ordinance.
“I have full understanding for the concerns of the economy, but also for the demand to unlock them prematurely,” said Stelzer. At the same time he emphasized that “every single day in the lockdown counts in order to relieve the hospitals and protect health”. He referred to discussions with various experts such as the simulation researcher Nikolas Popper or the lung specialist Bernd Lamprecht. These warned against premature loosening, they should be set “with caution”, which the LH intended.
The Mayor of Linz, Klaus Luger (SPÖ), pleaded in a broadcast for keeping the lockdown in Upper Austria until December 17th. “Health comes before business,” he said to the Chamber of Commerce. “We need to focus on increasing the first vaccinations as there is no other way out of this pandemic,” he added.
Due to the rapid increase in the number of new corona infections and the low vaccination rate before the nationwide lockdown, Upper Austria imposed until December 17th.
Source: Nachrichten
