Coronavirus
A summit of the federal states and the federal government is to discuss further steps in the pandemic on Monday. If the federal government has its way, the quarantine could fall. This makes forecasts for the fall even more difficult, says simulation researcher Nikolaus Popper.
Since testing was capped in the spring, the number of reported tests has dropped significantly. Most recently, between 30,000 and 60,000 tests were evaluated in Vienna every day, before rationing it was over 300,000 tests a day in some places. This also led to problems for the simulation experts because the data basis for their analyzes was missing.
Popper for monitoring system
If the quarantine falls, even fewer people could test themselves, Popper fears. “Then I lose track even more. A monitoring system that consists of different pillars is then all the more important, from hospitalization monitoring to testing to wastewater analysis and sequencing, so that I as a decision-maker still have an overview.” Such a system could then also be used for other diseases come into use. At the moment, however, there is a lack of uniform data from hospitals and targeted tests in control groups.
And if you lift the quarantine rules, special measures are needed “to protect vulnerable people, for example if you cannot be vaccinated. If I move away from a comprehensive solution, then I have to strengthen the targeted, concrete solutions for target groups that are particularly affected,” says Popper.
Federal-state summit in the afternoon
How the quarantine will continue will be discussed on Monday afternoon in a video summit of the state governors and the federal government. In any case, Vienna City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker (SPÖ) had already announced that he did not want to accept an end to the quarantine. It is not yet certain whether Vienna will go it alone or even be able to do so in the event of a possible nationwide end.