Briefly about the lockdown: “Trend change in at least seven to 14 days” – Coronavirus Vienna

“To return to the middle of normal life,” as the Chancellor announced at a press conference on Saturday. In the case of a “similar success to the one we had in the first lockdown”, one could think about skiing again, for example, although with some cuts.

These are “dramatic interventions in our social life”, admitted Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP). The second shutdown “was not easy” for the federal government, but it was “necessary.” In this context, Kurz referred to the impending overload in hospitals, especially in the intensive care sector due to the increase in coronavirus infections.

There is a night-time restriction, although with some exceptions. Gastro and almost all leisure activities are off. After all, shops, kindergartens and compulsory schooling will remain open for the time being. It is essential “that we get out of November well with the package” to achieve a “significant drop” in the number of infections, the foreign minister stressed. Expect a change in trend “in seven to 14 days minimum.”

If this goal is not achieved, “we will face a difficult situation,” Kurz admitted. Then a refinement of the measures is possible, the effectiveness of which will be evaluated weekly. Consideration should be given to closing kindergartens and compulsory schools or switching to distance education. These remain open “for the moment,” Kurz emphasized, which led to the meeting “the massive request from parliamentary parties” and various state authorities.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) spoke of an “almost explosive growth” in the number of corona infections and an impending overload of intensive care capabilities. Therefore, a “second blockade” is “necessary”, stressed the chancellor.

This closure is a bit more relaxed than in the spring, because all the shops and service providers, such as hairdressers, remain open. However, it brings massive cuts in the freedom of the population: between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., a night-out restriction will be applied from Tuesday, a kind of “visiting ban”. You are then only allowed to leave your own four walls in exceptional cases, for example to work or play sports, and you have to make this credible in case of a police check. At the moment, only two households are allowed to meet, and garage and garden parties are also prohibited.

The situation is also bleak for the catering, leisure and tourism industries: events are banned except for professional sports. Theaters, museums and leisure facilities like swimming pools or gyms will also need to close. Locals can only offer pick-up and drop-off services, hotels cannot accept tourists, only business travelers. The government promised an aid package to cover up to 80 percent of lost sales, “a very fair solution,” acknowledged the president of the Austrian Hotel Association (ÖHV), Michaela Reitterer.

Kindergartens, elementary schools and lower grades will now stay open differently than they did in March, upper grades like universities will switch to distance learning. Visits to hospitals and nursing homes and nursing homes are limited.

If the package of measures works and the population joins, Federal Chancellor Kurz assumes that “the first initial steps” can be taken in December “to return to a reasonably normal life.”

Measures like exit restrictions have yet to be approved by the main committee of the National Council, which of course is a question of form due to the majority of the ÖVP and the Greens. The committee meets on Sunday at 5 pm The approval of the exit restriction can only be granted for ten days, so it must be extended several times if it is applied throughout November.