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Twelve months after the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and therefore the most serious pandemic in 100 years, Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) asked on New Year’s Day to opt for a coronavirus vaccination and , therefore, for the “turn against the pandemic.” “What was longed for for months is now becoming a reality,” he said in a broadcast on Friday, referring to the vaccine.
After the start of vaccination of the so-called risk groups, the vaccination shows a good tolerance to the first thousand test vaccinations. Now there are four steps that need to be taken, on the one hand, the massive reduction of new infections due to the current lockdown and an acceleration of the management of contact persons through extensive digitization. Testing will also be massively expanded to identify infections more quickly and reduce the number of underreported cases. As a last point, Anschober mentioned the step-by-step implementation of vaccinations on the basis of the Austrian vaccination plan to offer a vaccine to all interested parties in the summer, depending on the time of market approval and deliveries.
Participation in vaccination is essential
A realization of these objectives and a high participation of the population in vaccination could increasingly control the pandemic, although the virus would not disappear overnight: “Now everything depends on participation in vaccination. And that is where I currently have a positive impression: more and more people who have not yet made a decision and who are not sure are opting for vaccination and, therefore, for the change of course against the pandemic ”, was Anschober’s assessment.
In 2020, more than 3.8 million PCR tests were carried out in Austria, several million additional antigen tests and the SARS-CoV-2 virus was also detected in more than 360,000 people, the department head concluded. Up to 709 people went to intensive care wards due to particularly serious Covid-19 illnesses, now there are 385. After 75,000 people with active disease in November, there are currently 21,000 in Austria. “So far, 6,261 people have died from a serious illness from Covid-19 or from a severe illness from Covid-19. Our condolences and sadness go out to them and their families.” To date, more than 80 million confirmed cases and around 1.8 million deaths have been reported worldwide.
Despite the currently too high figures in Austria, if the lockdown were implemented consistently, the current forecast would show that a reduction from 1,400 to 1,600 new infections per day would be possible in the first week of January and a further reduction in the number. people with intensive care needs by January 13. at 275. (apa)
