While the government confirmed the date, the Chancellery and the Ministry of Health were cautious about the details of the content. Topics mentioned included the increase in vaccination coverage, especially for the young population, the “third trick” and the measures that can be taken if the intensive care units are still being used.
The most recent discussions were about the return to the FFP2 mask requirement, about a shorter validity of corona tests and about the end of the free tests, which is endorsed by some federal states. The background to the debate is the rapidly growing number of infections and, in parallel, the rise in hospitalizations. As of Thursday, 142 Covid 19 patients were being treated in an intensive care unit. This means that the fourth wave of infections will start much earlier than the second wave last autumn. A year ago there were only 30 intensive care patients – even without a vaccination. In terms of new infections, Austria is currently well above the previous year with 1,510 cases, when 327 new infections were counted on September 2.
“Worst-case scenario” possible
The Federal Chancellery and the Ministry of Health referred in a joint broadcast on Thursday that the utilization of the intensive care units will continue to increase according to the Corona forecasting consortium. In the “worst-case scenario”, it cannot be ruled out that the critical capacity utilization limit of a third could be exceeded in individual countries. The health system could then again reach its limits.
In any case, the government’s weekly “Corona Task Force” will be bert on Thursday, and the appointment with the state governors is scheduled for next Wednesday. Several VP country leaders recently called for an end to the free tests in order to motivate more people to have the corona vaccination. With a vaccination coverage of almost 62 percent of those who were partially immunized, Austria is now well below the EU average of 65 percent. Austria cannot keep up with front runners such as Portugal (85), Malta (80) or Spain (78 percent).
Austria with vaccination below EU average
However, the end of the free tests is rejected by the SP-governed federal states. For example, Burgenland wants to take over the free Vienna PCR test program “Alles Gurgelt” and intensify its control of the 3G rule. Vienna has announced that it will reduce the validity of the tests: from 48 to 24 hours for antigen tests and from 72 to 48 hours for more precise PCR tests. The current duration should only apply to children under the age of twelve who cannot yet be vaccinated.
Most recently, VP Provincial Governors Johanna Mikl-Leitner (Lower Austria), Hermann Schtzenhfer (Styria) and Gnther Platter (Tyrol) have spoken out in favor of the end of the free tests. Upper Austria, which is also governed by the VP, where the state parliament, local councilors and mayors will be elected on September 26th, intends to keep the free tests for the time being.
The federal and state governments want to discuss how things will continue next Wednesday before the first Council of Ministers after the summer break. The meeting will take place hybrid – some of the governors will come to Vienna themselves, some will be connected.
