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Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) and Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) jointly promoted participation in the mass crown tests on Monday. Kurz also promised a decision on the second wave of testing this week. In view of the low willingness to participate in the tests that have already been completed in Tirol and Vorarlberg, Kurz considers an incentive system possible. With immediate effect, tests without registration are also possible at Messe Wien.
In the Corona crisis, the relationship between the federal government and the federal capital has been fraught with conflict: after the ÖVP continually criticized the crisis management of the SPÖ-led state government in the Vienna election campaign, the mayor Ludwig blamed the government for the high number of infections in the country in early December. None of this was discussed on Monday: “It was important to me to put aside the political setbacks of the parties in this health crisis,” Ludwig said after he and Kurz kept the test results on the chambers together.
Another call to participate
Kurz thanked the city of Vienna at the joint appearance at the Vienna Exhibition Center and also praised the decision to extend the massive tests in the metropolis for a longer period of time. Chancellor and mayor jointly promoted participation. “I ask the population to participate,” Kurz said: “It is better to spend half an hour in the test than to spend weeks locked up.”
Video: Kurz and Ludwig were tested:
The chancellor was “quite satisfied” with the turnout so far, although not even a third of the population of Tirol and Vorarlberg had been screened. It was possible to find more than 1,000 infected people who otherwise would have infected other people. Kurz wants to adhere to the voluntary nature of testing, but he also believes that an incentive system for the next wave is possible. And Kurz also believes that independent acceptance of home testing, proposed by SP chief Pamela Rendi Wagner, is feasible in eight to ten weeks.
Videoconference with governors
The government wanted to discuss how the massive testing will continue in a video conference on Monday, as Kurz announced. Therefore, the decision on the date of the second round should be made this week.
In Vienna, where the test roads are also not fully used, the conditions for participation are being relaxed again. With immediate effect, tests without registration are also possible at the fairgrounds. According to Ludwig, this will allow people without Internet access to participate. Records are still required for the test lanes in Stadthalle and Marx-Halle. Testing will continue in Vienna until December 13.
