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About ten percent of the Viennese went for the test. Participation is low in other federal states as well. The Governor of Styria, Hermann Schützenhöfer (ÖVP), however, advocates mandatory vaccination.
Vienna Only just over 10 percent had been tested for a corona virus infection in mass tests across Austria initiated by the federal government. In other federal states it doesn’t look much better: in Burgenland and Carinthia, the turnout on Sunday was less than a fifth of the total population. According to media reports, the federal government is considering “treats” in future mass tests to attract more people to the test streets.
The Health Ministry said Sunday that “incentive systems” would be examined. According to “Kurier” there was talk of a reward of 50 euros. “Austria” quoted Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) as saying that in the upcoming mass tests on January 8, residents of areas with a particularly high incidence of seven days could be “released” from a quarantine.
In Vienna, on the other hand, massive testing at three locations ended on Sunday. The massive ten-day tests were used by 204,880 people up to and including Saturday. Of these, 676 people tested positive, corresponding to 0.33 percent of the results. Including Sunday, the participation rate will be around ten percent of Vienna’s total population. The testing capabilities are designed for up to 1.2 million people (or 60 percent).
Little participation in countries
In Lower Austria, 467,702 people were tested up to and including Sunday, corresponding to a participation rate of around 30 percent. 0.14% of those evaluated were positive (68 people). In Burgenland, too, the participation rate is currently around 19 percent (53,260 people), 0.11 percent of the tests were positive.
In Styria, the turnout was around 13 percent. With a positive rate of 0.86 percent, Graz is above the rest of the federal state (0.38 percent).
Following the Tyrolean initiative to offer free antigen testing on a permanent basis, Upper Austria now wants to do the same. Salzburg (where turnout was between 25 and 30 percent) is considering extending voluntary testing. “We will examine the possibility,” said a spokesman for Governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP).
Styrian Governor Hermann Schützenhöfer (ÖVP), on the other hand, fueled the debate on mandatory vaccination and came out in favor of it, as well as mandatory outdoor masking. As he said in an interview on Sunday with ORF Styria, he would like to talk about both of them starting Monday.
Federal states must decide for themselves on the obligation to wear a mask outdoors and its areas of application depending on the infection rate. “On Monday I have my closest staff, together with Lieutenant Governor Anton Lang (SPÖ, note), to discuss this. Yes, there are also free spaces and streets, etc., where it makes sense, and what makes sense must be done, ”says Schützenhöfer. A mandatory vaccination should also be discussed: “I would be in favor of mandatory vaccination next year.” The criticisms came from the FPÖ, but also from Graz City Councilor for Health Robert Krotzer (KPÖ).
Peter Kaiser against compulsory vaccination
Carinthia Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) advocates for raising awareness rather than a blanket requirement for vaccination. “I continue to be in favor of the population being able to decide voluntarily for or against corona vaccination.” For this decision to be as objective as possible, complete and transparent information is required. For certain professional groups, experts would have to decide on an obligation, Kaiser said.
Styrian Green Club president Sandra Krautwaschl noted that the federal government had already ruled out mandatory vaccinations. (APA)
(“Die Presse”, print edition, December 14, 2020)
