Armed Forces: Planning work for massive coronavirus tests – Coronavirus Vienna has begun

“The Ministry of Defense has started planning the work in coordination with the Federal Chancellery and the Ministry of Health. How the massive tests can be seen in concrete terms will be presented at the end of the week,” said Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP).

“As in the past, the armed forces are ready as a strategic reserve for the republic. We will contribute our expertise and experience for the good of the population,” the minister told the APA. In Slovakia, the military organized and carried out the massive tests. At the request of Slovakia, 30 soldiers from Austria assisted and gained valuable experience. “We were able to gain initial experience and have been in contact with authorities there ever since,” Tanner said.

In Slovakia, everyone between the ages of 10 and 65 was invited to take a test. 3.6 million of the 5.5 million inhabitants participated in the first round. Those who did not test negative were subject to a strict curfew and were not allowed to go to work. The massive tests, which were partly criticized at first, identified around 50,000 people who had an asymptomatic course of the disease and did not know they were corona-positive.

According to Slovak Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok, the massive crown tests in Slovakia were “extremely challenging” both organizationally and politically. Korcok said that after a video conference with European Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) and Czech Chancellor Tomas Petricek at a virtual press conference on Monday. It was a challenge convincing people to participate. But: “It was worth it.”

The massive tests identified around 50,000 people who did not know they were corona-positive. These people would have become isolated again. The measure was effective: the infection curve is now flattening out. Slovakia is beginning to loosen the partial closure and reopen churches and cinemas. Slovakia is proceeding very carefully here. Korcok admitted that people would have expected even more relief after the massive tests.

Czech Foreign Minister Petricek said the massive tests were also discussed in his country. However, in the end, the experts decided to expand the number of tests and test them specifically. The Czech Republic pays particular attention to “vulnerable groups” in nursing homes and social welfare institutions.

Edtstadler said in this regard that the conversation with Korcok and Petricek also served to exchange experiences. The observations made by the roughly 30 military paramedics who helped conduct the tests in Slovakia are also valuable. The planned mass tests are an offer for people. Because the danger is that many do not know that they are infected and could infect others, says Edtstadler. However, mass testing would not replace testing for people who have symptoms.

Slovakia is also now planning mobile test stations where people can test themselves voluntarily and for free, Korcok reported. He also advocated for the use of rapid antigen tests for travel. This would make traveling safer. He noted that Austrians are currently required to present a negative PCR test upon entering Slovakia, which should not be more than 72 hours old. Otherwise, they have to go into a five-day quarantine and organize a PCR test, the Slovak minister said.

The meeting of the three ministers took place in the framework of the Slavkov format. This group of three countries was founded in Slavkov (in German Austerlitz) at the end of January 2015, and therefore in the place of South Moravia that gave its name to the legendary Battle of the Three Emperors in 1805. The Austerlitz format aims to improve cooperation between Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.