BERLIN – The Austrian authorities are extending the nation’s lockdown till Feb. 7 in a drive to curb the surge in infection figures regards to the possible impact of recent coronavirus variants.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz stated Sunday that some measures may also be tightened because of the extra infectious variants that have been first detected in Britain and South Africa. He stated individuals will now be requested to remain 2 meters (61/2 ft) apart as an alternative of 1 meter.
Starting on Jan. 25, they may also be required to put on full protecting masks on public transport and in retailers, rather than simply cloth face coverings. Individuals on low incomes will get such masks free, Health Minister Rudolf Anschober stated.
Austria’s present lockdown, its third, began on Dec. 26 and was to finish on Jan. 24. Kurz stated Austria is eager to keep away from a scenario similar to that in Britain and Ireland, the place infections have risen sharply and quickly as new variants take hold. Up to now, Austria has over 150 suspected infections with the British variant, Anschober stated.
Kurz stated Austria must get as shut as it will probably too, and ideally under, an infection level of 50 new cases per 100,000 residents over 7 days. The data now stands at 131.
“Our purpose is to strategy this data by Feb. 8 and begins the first steps towards opening on Feb. 8,” with schools, nonessential retailers, museums, and services corresponding to hairdressers reopening, Kurz informed a news conference in Vienna.
However, Kurz made clear that restaurants and lodges must wait longer.
“We have now to imagine at current that, a minimum of in February, it won’t be possible to open tourism and catering,” he stated, regarding that, a decision might be made in mid-February.
Austria, a nation of 8.9 million, has confirmed nearly 390,000 cases and seen 6,964 demises of COVID-19.
