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Was “greed for health” placed in Ischgl? Are Germans allowed to book rooms on Lake Wörthersee? The Austrian chancellor was interviewed on German television, until the picture failed.
“What can we learn from Austria? – Questions to Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.” With these words, the Austrian head of government was on Wednesday night on the German ARD talk show “Maischberger. Week” he announced. The background: The “small” republic has just under a week and several measures ahead of the neighboring “big” country in terms of occurrence and management of the coronavirus. Simply put: “The situation is well under control.”
But if it wasn’t always the case, moderator Sandra Maischberger opposed and alluded to the “Ischgl Cause,” where after-ski bars were still open, even though Covid’s first 19 cases had already occurred. Specifically: Was “health greed” placed here?
“I find it a little difficult with this blame game, which takes place in part because, no matter where you go, you hear a different story everywhere,” the ÖVP boss replied. “I heard from some in Italy: ‘The Chinese brought us’. If you ask in Ischgl, they tell you:’ Yes, madness, those were the Italian tourists who brought us that ‘. And in Germany Then there are some who say:’ I got infected while skiing in Austria or Switzerland. ” All of that may be true, “it only helps us moderately,” Kurz noted, for example, that there was “one study,” according to which the virus could have spread in Europe from Munich (marginal detail: US geneticist Trevor Bedford had expressed this theory on Twitter). One thing is certain: “I just don’t blame anyone.”
Sudden loss of image.
“That is certainly the case, but if you have a Corona case, you simply cannot follow it, but you can continue to operate …” Maischberger began, but did not go ahead because the image failed. Everything was black and silent for several seconds, then a pause fill was shown “Sorry for the interruption” until he could hear, and see, again when he said: Any wrongdoing would be discovered and punished.
Maischberger also returned to the scene and tried again, something different: Did he mean that Austria had reacted in due time?
“We were there before most other European countries,” said Kurz. “We cannot have done everything wrong.” However, one should not yield. Yes, he spoke of the “resurrection after Easter” and yes, you are currently in “Phase 2”, therefore perform the first loosening. However, this was only possible because first everything possible was done to “starve” the virus: Austrians were disciplined regarding minimum distances, hygiene and mask standards, and their social contacts had been greatly reduced . The result: “The number of new infections has been constant below 100 for a few days,” says Kurz.
“The objective is that we cross the borders again”
Therefore, smaller stores are likely to reopen under certain conditions, with larger ones and restaurants soon to follow. So that meant, Maischberger objected, that “an eighty-year-old boy who wanted to eat his schnitzel in the restaurant again” won’t stop him, despite the risk group. “We will not pursue the concept of locking the elderly at home for a year until there is a vaccine,” the foreign minister replied. That is not a realistic scenario.
At the end of April, exit restrictions, which were “significantly tighter” than those in Germany, “but there will still have to be rules,” along with “a little more freedom.” Specifically: Kurz announced the opportunity to “return to a reasonably normal family life” and meet friends. But be sure to mention that if the numbers get worse again, you can “pull the emergency brake” at any time.
Key word: planning. “Can we book a holiday at Lake Wörthersee now?” Asked Maischberger with a view to the summer months. “As of today, Austria is one of the countries with the best global development and Germany has an equally good development,” said Kurz. Therefore, he was optimistic. Because: “Of course, it is the goal that we drive across the borders again.”
