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Today in Austria For Members

Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

Emma Midgley
Emma Midgley - [email protected]
Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
People walk during the twilight at Vienna's famous shopping Mariahilfer street decorated with Christmas lights. Commerce will remain open as strikes were avoided. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Find out what's going on in Austria on Thursday, with The Local's short roundup of today's news.

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Woman killed: manhunt underway for her partner, a 44-year-old police officer

A manhunt is underway for a 44-year-old police officer from Vienna after his partner was found dead, having been strangled in Deutsch-Brodersdorf (Baden district) on Wednesday. The Cobra police special unit and a helicopter from the Ministry of the Interior have been involved in the search, broadcaster ORF reports.

A police spokesman said there was no risk to the public. The suspect’s car has been found in the Moosbrunn area (Bruck / Leitha district). 

The alleged killing of a woman in the Baden district would be the 22nd murder with a woman victim this year, the Kurier newspaper reports. In Austria, more than 50 percent of murder victims are women, one of the highest proportions in Europe. 

READ MORE: Does Austria have a problem with violence against women?

Highest number of Covid-19 infections in Austria since December 1st 2020

Around 3,700 new Covid-19 infections were reported in Austria on Wednesday, the highest value in Austria since December 1st, 2020.

Austria’s coronavirus traffic light commission is expected to add Lower and Upper Austria to the state of Salzburg in the “very high risk” (red) category. According to figures released by the commission, Vienna, Tyrol and Vorarlberg could also be classified as orange (high risk), with only Burgenland remaining as “medium risk” (yellow). 

Broadcaster ORF reports the situation in Vienna, where stricter rules are in place than the rest of Austria, remains stable. By contrast, Tyrol’s risk factor has increased by 40 percent in the past two weeks. The situation is also rapidly worsening in Lower Austria. 

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READ MORE: What is Austria’s new five colour covid traffic light system

Health Minister says 3G workplace regulation will encourage vaccination

Austrian Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein says the new 3G regulation in the workplace, which means people must prove they have been vaccinated against, recovered from or tested negative for Covid-19 to work, will help persuade people to get vaccinated. Austria’s vaccination rate has stalled in the past few months, broadcaster ORF reports. 

Mückstein said Austrians were “people who are critical of vaccinations”. He also criticized the fact that in Austria there are political parties which campaigns against vaccination.

He was likely alluding to the far right FPÖ party in Austria, which opposes many of the government’s vaccination campaigns, and the newly formed anti-vaccination political party MFG, which recently won seats in Upper Austria’s State Parliament. 

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Winter tourism rules unveiled

As The Local reported on Wednesday, the rules for winter tourism in Austria have been unveiled. 

From November 15, a “3-G” certificate will be mandatory in skiing areas, and an FFP2 mask must be worn in gondolas. Apres-ski will be subject to similar rules as nightclubs and late night restaurants. There should be no capacity restrictions.

READ MORE: KEY POINTS: Austria announces new rules for winter tourism

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Vienna to offer free flu vaccination from November 2nd

Vienna is starting its flu jab rollout from Monday, October 25th. From this date you can call 1450 or make an appointment online at Vaccination Service Vienna (Impfservice Wien) for a flu jab. Appointments can be made from November 2nd to March 31st, 2022. The vaccinations will take place in eleven vaccination centres. 

From December onwards, a “vaccination Bim (tram)” will also be stationed at various locations in the city to bring the flu vaccine to the people. Vaccinations are free of charge for everyone in Vienna from seven months old, even if they come from another federal state in Austria.

READ MORE: READER QUESTION: How do I get a flu vaccine in Austria?

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