Gastronomy, culture and sport: Vorarlberg opens March 15 – Vorarlberg –

Consequently, the outdoor catering may open at Easter. Also, youth and school sports should be allowed again from the middle of the month. The prerequisite for this is reportedly not to have exponential growth.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) declared that culture should start again on a grand scale in April. The same applies to tourism. In addition, the opening of the indoor gastronomy will only be addressed in April, all this on the condition that there is no massive growth of the infection.

There is a special permit available for Vorarlberg, which currently has the lowest incidence of cases. “Very clear steps” in culture, sport and gastronomy will be possible here from the middle of the month, as Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) explained at a press conference on Monday night.

The gastronomy will open on March 15, as announced by Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP). So different pure test variants are still being tested. Wallner announced that the opening of the guest gardens would be thoroughly prepared beginning March 15. Some initial steps in Vorarlberg should also be possible for young people and culture.

Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) announced that despite easing, they will try to reduce the number of infections. For example, in particularly affected regions there should be an obligation to carry out an exit test, as is currently the case in Tyrol. Discussions on this topic will be held with Carinthia and Salzburg in the coming days. Hermagor and St. Johann in Pongau have by far the highest incidences at the district level. The use of FFP2 masks in workplaces will also be expanded.

The hours of negotiations on further easing had been very tough. The main point of contention was the opening of the hotel business, which was promoted by the heads of state, but which was viewed with skepticism especially by the Ministry of Health.

Above all, the representatives of the eastern region with the mayor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) and the governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) at the top, had advocated the opening of the restaurants in the talks. . His argument put forward by Ludwig later: It makes more sense for the containment of the pandemic to allow contacts to take place in a controlled way in the restaurant sector than in an uncontrolled way in the private sector. Governors of other regions had reportedly represented this position as well.

The plans, some of which had previously been leaked, were moderately well received by the opposition. FPÖ head Norbert Hofer saw a new split after a discussion between the parties with the government and regionalization experts, NEOS president Beate Meinl-Reisinger missed a government strategy.

The leader of the SPÖ, Pamela Rendi-Wagner, continues to expressly criticize any initial step, as well as almost all virologists and epidemiologists. After speaking with the government, he emphasized that not only was the number of new infections increasing, but also the number of intensive care patients. This high-risk situation is the result of premature openings by the federal government. New openings would be highly irresponsible: “A situation like the one in November must be prevented.”