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In case of positive cases, an investigation should be carried out, said Mayor Ludwig, who hopes the tests will increase the number of new infections in Vienna. The Chamber of Labor requires written notifications.
Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) announced on Thursday that, as part of the large-scale mass tests that begin on Friday, there will also be fixed contact tracing in positive cases. “In other parts of Austria there is a discussion about whether to suspend contact tracing at this stage. We will not do that,” he told reporters.
There are currently five locations in the federal capital where 600 employees participate in contact tracing. One of them is in the Volkshalle of the city hall. Ludwig had invited media representatives there so they could get a taste of the contact tracker’s work. He also announced that two more locations will open in the coming days and that the workforce will increase to a total of 700 people.
“Contact tracing is so important because it allows us to avoid more infected people,” emphasized the mayor. This means that the environment of those who have tested positive can be located and more infections can be cleared.
The Chamber of Labor requires written notification
The Chamber of Labor also demanded written confirmation from workers on Thursday whether a test at large test stations turns out to be positive or someone is identified as a contact person. If tens of thousands of people test positive or are contact persons after mass testing, it is completely unrealistic to issue a notification in time, argued AK director Christoph Klein in a broadcast Thursday.
Many employees are already receiving their quarantine notices by phone at the moment. But that is not enough for many employers because they will not receive a refund of their wages without notification. And that is why some require that employees go to work despite infection (suspected infection) or take vacations or time off.
Therefore, after a positive test or quarantine request, Klein demands that a written confirmation be issued quickly and without bureaucracy. The 1450 hotline employees, as well as the test line staff, could give written confirmations of this type. Delivery could also be done digitally, for example by email or SMS. The Ministry of Health should issue a corresponding decree as soon as possible, demands the director of AK.
How to go home
It should also be clarified how people who have tested positive must go to home quarantine in a medically meaningful and legally correct manner. “You shouldn’t leave people alone with this question,” says Klein. “I need to know if I can take a taxi or public transport home, or if they will call an ambulance, hand out an FFP2 mask or any correct behavior.”
Health Advisor Hacker had said in an interview that it was possible that people who tested positive could also return home by public transport, as an FFP2 mask is safe enough.
Isn’t social pressure high in Vienna?
The massive tests will begin in Vienna tomorrow Friday. At three locations in the city, Stadthalle, Messe Wien and Marx-Halle, people can be evaluated until December 13. The total capacity at the three locations is designed for up to 150,000 tests per day or for a total of more than 1 million people.
“I suppose there is interest,” Ludwig said. But also: “The social pressure to participate in the tests is probably not as strong as in a smaller community where everyone knows each other.” In a big city like Vienna it is certainly different, also more difficult. In addition, he acknowledges that those who have already been screened by the city’s current testing strategy “will probably not be screened again.”
The mayor also expects the number of new infections in Vienna every day to increase as a result of the massive tests, as more infected people will be able to “locate”. “That will probably increase the numbers. That is also the goal of us sending the infected to quarantine, while also locating the environment through contact tracing and taking steps to interrupt the chain of infection.”
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