Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Every weekday, The Local brings you an English-language summary of the news you need to know in Austria.
People with a Covid booster can now travel to Austria from any country
The 2G+ rule applies from today to all travellers coming to Austria after the country scrapped its virus variant list which imposed stricter conditions on people from 14 countries, including the UK, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, South Africa and nine other African countries.
This means that all travellers need to show a valid vaccination or recovery certificate, and either proof of a booster dose or a negative Covid-19 test. People who have a full course of vaccination and also recovered from the virus after their vaccination are also exempt from the requirement to show a test result.
National incidence rate approaches 2,000
The rate of new cases in Austria per 100,000 residents over the past seven days is now at 1,867 according to AGES.
The delays in data that we reported on last week are ongoing, and have prompted Viennese Health Councillor to write to Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein to say the delays mean he has "the worst overview of the current situation" since the beginning of the pandemic.
Upper Austria forced to pause contact tracing
That's because of the surge in new cases at the moment. The region's Councillor for Healthcare Christine Haberlander said that the rate of spread meant it was now less possible to break chains of infection through contact tracing.
People who receive a positive test result will still be contacted by healthcare authorities, but they will then be asked to inform their own recent contacts.
Flu cases on the rise in Vienna
Vienna has reported a rise in flu cases alongside the Covid-19 Omicron wave, You can find the latest flu statistics for the region on its website (in German only).
The vaccination against influenza is free for all children aged up to 15 in Austria as part of the child vaccination programme, and for people in risk groups. In Vienna, the flu vaccine is offered free to all residents.
READER QUESTION: How do I get a flu vaccine in Austria?
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People with a Covid booster can now travel to Austria from any country
The 2G+ rule applies from today to all travellers coming to Austria after the country scrapped its virus variant list which imposed stricter conditions on people from 14 countries, including the UK, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, South Africa and nine other African countries.
This means that all travellers need to show a valid vaccination or recovery certificate, and either proof of a booster dose or a negative Covid-19 test. People who have a full course of vaccination and also recovered from the virus after their vaccination are also exempt from the requirement to show a test result.
National incidence rate approaches 2,000
The rate of new cases in Austria per 100,000 residents over the past seven days is now at 1,867 according to AGES.
The delays in data that we reported on last week are ongoing, and have prompted Viennese Health Councillor to write to Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein to say the delays mean he has "the worst overview of the current situation" since the beginning of the pandemic.
Upper Austria forced to pause contact tracing
That's because of the surge in new cases at the moment. The region's Councillor for Healthcare Christine Haberlander said that the rate of spread meant it was now less possible to break chains of infection through contact tracing.
People who receive a positive test result will still be contacted by healthcare authorities, but they will then be asked to inform their own recent contacts.
Flu cases on the rise in Vienna
Vienna has reported a rise in flu cases alongside the Covid-19 Omicron wave, You can find the latest flu statistics for the region on its website (in German only).
The vaccination against influenza is free for all children aged up to 15 in Austria as part of the child vaccination programme, and for people in risk groups. In Vienna, the flu vaccine is offered free to all residents.
READER QUESTION: How do I get a flu vaccine in Austria?
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