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The deciding factor is the cumulative number of new infections per 100,000 population in the last 14 days, the positive test rate, and the test rate. Austria abstained. The concern is tourism.
In Austria, the Corona traffic light can be viewed critically by many. However, the concept has gained approval at the EU level, although not to the same extent in all countries. EU European ministers decided Tuesday on a recommendation for a Corona traffic light across Europe. With this, the EU wants to better coordinate travel restrictions in the pandemic. Austria abstained. European Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) criticized that the threshold values ”were no longer accurate”. Most regions of Europe would be colored red and an increase would no longer be possible, Edtstadler said, criticizing the lack of differentiation. Austria would also be overwhelmingly red.
“It is our common duty to ensure the coordination of all measures restricting freedom of movement and to provide our citizens with all the information they need to decide on their travels,” said German Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth.
The Corona traffic light is a map created by the European Health Agency ECDC, which is based on data from the Member States. The deciding factor is the cumulative number of new infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days, the positive test rate, and the test rate.
The critery
If it is “green”, new infections must be below a value of 25, positive tests below four percent. Here, no Member State restrictions should apply. With “orange”, new infections should be below 50 and the positive test rate below four percent. If notifications are between 25 and 150, the positive test rate must be less than four percent for a region to be classified as “orange.” The traffic light turns “red” if new infections are greater than 50 or the positive test rate is four percent or more, or if the new infection rate is greater than 150.
With “orange” and “red”, EU states can stipulate quarantine and testing upon entry. Areas with insufficient information or a test rate of less than 300 tests per 100,000 inhabitants are marked with “gray”.
“We want precise criteria, we want predictability in terms of travel advisories and evaluations from other countries,” Edtstadler said. He came out in favor of uniform quarantine times and the possibility of being released from quarantine through a test.
It should be possible to protect people’s health months after the outbreak of the pandemic and at the same time use freedom of movement in the EU, such as freedom of goods and travel, and also allow tourism, the minister replied to the ask how Austria is doing. be careful if there were any problems during the winter season.
Luxembourg vehemently opposed
Luxembourg’s chancellor Jean Asselborn, whose country also did not approve of it, also criticized the concept. Given the number of cases, it won’t be long before one EU country classifies the other as a risk area, “that’s pretty absurd,” he said. Nor is he convinced that the procedure complies with European law. Luxembourg performs a large number of tests, free of charge and also on people without symptoms, “and then we are punished for it” because there is no relationship between the number of tests and positive results. New criteria should be added, including deaths and intensive care capabilities, Asselborn demanded.
SPÖ-EU Head of Delegation Andreas Schieder welcomed the EU countries’ decision as a first step towards “real coordination” and spoke in favor of the standardization of quarantine times and the offer of free trials. He also criticized the federal government for opposing “traceability and transparency across Europe.”
“The tourist country Austria in particular will benefit from such confidence-building measures based on clearly understandable indicators,” said Schieder. The health of Europeans should not “be endangered a second time as deliberately as in Ischgl”. “While the ÖVP pushes accountability at all levels and tries to sweep the facts under the rug, everyone needs the will to finally implement a coordinated and transparent risk assessment system for Europe’s regions”, the MEP is convinced.
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