Von Laer welcomed on Tuesday that trade, restaurants and hotels in the east are to be opened with “accompanying measures”. In general, however, the situation in all federal states is developing “in the right direction”.
“We have to be careful now”
Because some regions were “lagging behind” from the start, the western federal states are still “far away” from the “reasonable level, i.e. a seven-day incidence below 300.” We have to be careful now, “warned Von Laer. Because in the intensive care units “no real relaxation” can be seen. However, the number of new infections in Austria is declining, emphasized the doctor. On Tuesday, the number of nationwide confirmed active cases was below 100,000 for the first time in four weeks.
Of course, the question arises whether an extension of the lockdown would also be politically enforceable for vaccinated people in the West, the virologist noted. From their point of view, however, it would be “good if you could treat yourself to another week here”. Such a “regional division” was also finally possible at Easter. At that time, an unchanged critical situation in the intensive care units in the eastern region led to an extension of the lockdown in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland. Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) indicated regional solutions starting next week on Tuesday, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) said that the lockdown will end next weekend (“The opening will take place”), the question is how .
Bars and discos “too risky”
Von Laer still spoke out against opening up the after-sales service. “Places like bars and discos where there are no permanent seats and where there is possibly also dancing – that is still too risky at the moment,” she said. Major events are also currently not advisable.
In their opinion, Omikron does not play an “acute” role in the current opening debate. However, it is essential that the “third stitch” continues to be advertised. If the omicron mutation should predominate in the next few weeks, “it is certainly a good thing if as many people as possible are vaccinated a third time,” emphasized Von Laer. “In parallel to slow opening steps, the adoption of accompanying measures and vaccination incentives, Omikron must definitely be taken into account in the long-term discussion,” the virologist summed up.
Source: Nachrichten
