Covid-19 would no longer be a notifiable disease. With the withdrawal of the laws and regulations, the coronavirus pandemic in Austria would be legally over. “Corona measures are not an end in themselves, they should be abolished when they are no longer needed,” said Nehammer about “Krone”.
“Since this is now the case, we will also implement it in the next few months,” said Nehammer. Sufficient tools are now available to combat this virus, from vaccination to effective medicines. Everyone can protect themselves, this protection is the personal responsibility of the people.
Rauch: Reorganize pandemic management
Rauch announced that he wanted to reorganize the pandemic management and to develop appropriate plans. The epidemic law should be adapted. This is “not suitable for fighting a pandemic”. The Minister of Health does not believe that CoV will disappear, but sees Austria as prepared: “We have vaccinations, we have medication, we are monitoring the variants,” Rauch told the “Krone”.
End announced for CoV laws
Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) wants to abolish all coronavirus laws and regulations this year. He told the “Kronen Zeitung”. Covid-19 would no longer be a notifiable disease.
Rauch told Ö1 that he assumed that the regulations would fall in the first half of the year. The symptom-free free testing is coming to an end. From the middle of the year, only those who have symptoms will be tested free of charge, the minister explained: “Anyone who is ill will be tested.” Rauch is confident that Vienna will latch onto uniform federal regulations. He will meet the state health officers in the coming days and also emphasized that wastewater monitoring will remain in place.
Reich: “Different situation”
At the end of 2022, the well-known Berlin virologist Christian Drosten drew attention to himself with the words that he believed the CoV pandemic was over. Experts working in Austria shared Drosten’s finding. According to virologist Dorothee von Laer, SARS-CoV-2 will rank among the “more dangerous respiratory diseases”. She sees “good immunity” in the population through vaccinations and many infections that have been passed through.
Drosten’s assessment is not shared by Katharina Reich, Director General for Public Health. “We are currently in a different situation than in the two previous years of the pandemic, a lot has changed. But even if experts like Christian Drosten say otherwise: The pandemic is not over yet, we are still in an extraordinary situation,” Reich told the “Kurier”.
Reich referred to influenza and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which are causing additional stress this year and are pushing hospitals to their breaking point in some places. In the case of influenza, however, only short-term peaks are to be expected, according to Reich, with RSV “we have already passed the peak of infection”.
Some regulations are still in force
Away from the federal capital, there are currently hardly any signs of CoV regulations, even if some are still in force. An FFP2 mask is currently also mandatory when visiting health and care facilities. In Vienna, there is also a mandatory test. Rauch expects that the existing mask requirement in Vienna will soon be lifted.
In Vienna itself, people are apparently optimistic. City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker (SPÖ) said in a written statement: “If nothing unexpected happens, you can aim for the goal of returning to normal in 2023. Hopefully the viral disease will play along with it.” Vienna’s mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) hopes for a mask off in spring – more on that in wien.ORF.at. At the moment, the “public transport” mask requirement still makes sense, not only because of CoV, but also because of the flu wave and other viruses.
The FPÖ cannot move fast enough. Their health spokesman Gerhard Kaniak said in a broadcast that the laws needed to be abolished immediately. Rauch follows the arguments and demands of the FPÖ, “but months too late”. The reaction of NEOS Club Vice Gerald Loacker was comparable. Switzerland took this step a year ago. It is long overdue for Austria to follow suit.
There are currently still traffic restrictions in the event of a CoV disease, those affected do not have to be in quarantine, but are obliged to wear an FFP2 mask indoors and also outdoors in close contact with people. Furthermore, the special care period applies until the middle of the year if a child cannot attend an educational institution due to a Covid-19 illness. The possibility of exemption for people with a special risk based on a CoV certificate also remained.
Rauch sees no danger from China
In the opinion of the Minister of Health, the current wave of CoV in China does not pose a major threat to Austria. “We have taken the necessary precautionary measures. I don’t currently see any signs of great danger.”
