The pandemic is not over, but it “gives us a breathing space,” says Health Minister Rauch. Therefore, the corona measures are relaxed further – except in hospitals.
The mask requirement ends – at least for the time being. Health ministers announced John Rauch (Greens) and Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) today, Tuesday, morning. The decision was preceded by a report by the expert commission, which was presented to the federal government on Monday evening. In accordance with the recommendations, the obligation to vaccinate once morest the corona virus will also remain suspended over the summer.
“We have had a positive development in the corona pandemic in the past few weeks,” Rauch began. The number of new infections has fallen continuously and is currently below 2000. The situation in the hospitals has also defused, there are currently only around 600 in connection with Covid-19 in the hospital. “I think that’s good news,” said Rauch. In this respect: “Now the pandemic is giving us a breathing space – but that doesn’t mean that the end of the pandemic is being announced here.” But: “Yes, it is now responsible for the fact that we are now adopting new rules.”
They are: From June 1st, the obligation to wear a mask will be “paused”. In the “vulnerable settings” such as hospitals and nursing homes, it remains upright. Also stay upright Recommendation to continue to voluntarily wear mouth and nose protection “In any case, I will continue to do so,” emphasized Rauch. “Take personal responsibility.”
Rauch: “The mask will come back”
In addition, the minister admitted: “We expect the mask to come back – all scenarios for the autumn assume that we will get a new variant, a new wave in the autumn.” In other words: “We have to learn to live with the pandemic.”
The government took the last major easing step in April. Since then, it has only been compulsory to wear FFP2 masks in closed rooms of hospitals and nursing homes, public transport and taxis, in the customer area of essential trade, in public traffic of administrative authorities and in institutions for religious practice outside of trade fairs. On the part of the trade unions and trade, there have always been disagreements Demands to waive the mask requirement in supermarkets and drugstoresbecause wearing a mask is a big burden for the employees.
Edtstadler: “Focusing not justified at the moment”
Penalties should actually have been imposed for violations of the vaccination requirement from mid-March, on the recommendation of the expert commission compulsory vaccination but for the time being until June 1st exposed. And will continue to be. The encroachment on fundamental rights associated with compulsory vaccination “would not be proportionate at the moment,” explained Edtstadler. “Thank God we are currently developing well,” she also referred to the current infection statistics. “To put it simply: A sharpening of the vaccination requirement is currently not justified.”
The current expert report states that “there have been no serious changes to the medical and thus also legal assessment of the obligation to vaccinate” since the report of March 8, which is why the assessment of the experts has not changed. At that time it was said that the prevailing (omicron) variant of the coronavirus and its spread should not lead to an overload of the medical infrastructure and that the number of infections should also fall in the warmer months of the year.
It will probably be different once more in the fall, Edtstadler also said, so it is advisable to get vaccinated. She herself was infected with the virus a few weeks ago: “I know that the vaccination protects once morest a severe course.” In this respect, according to Rauch, there will probably be a call at the end of the summer to “refresh” – a recommendation , which has already been issued for people over 80 years of age.
No more PCR tests in schools from June
At the same time as Rauch and Edtstadler, however, not in the Federal Chancellery, but in the Ministry of Education, the Minister of Education announced Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) that “the last measure in the school will be lifted”. In fact: performing PCR tests. It is still unclear whether the tests will be reintroduced in autumn.
Immediately following the two press conferences, Vienna’s mayor and SPÖ governor shared Michael Ludwig via Twitter that the announced measures would be discussed. After a separate round of experts, it should then be announced whether stricter rules will be issued in the federal capital (as before) or whether the federal guidelines will be followed entirely.