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Momentum is now giving way to a more efficient corona test strategy. Yesterday Monday, the ÖVP and the Greens submitted a request that means significant improvements. In accordance with this, Covid-19 testing must be done in doctor’s offices, which will be paid for by the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) at the expense of the federal government.
The president of the Medical Association, Thomas Szekeres, was delighted in an interview with the OÖN. “In general, we have a capacity problem with testing. In rural regions in particular, general practitioners are the natural point of contact here. It makes perfect sense that doctors can perform testing, on a voluntary basis and only after registration. “Szekeres said. Doctors are already conducting corona tests for a fee, sometimes in containers or tents in front of their practice.
“We have to speed up the detection of Covid cases, doctors can help here,” said the president of the Medical Association. He talked about the new possibilities of antigen testing. These would give very fast results and show relatively well whether someone is negative or positive. In positive cases, the much more precise PCR test is necessary for further clarification. Costs also vary: an antigen test costs an average of 25 euros, a PCR test between 80 and 200 euros, Szekeres calculated.
The new laws of the Crown contain measures of much more scope. On Monday, the National Council’s health committee discussed the planned amendment. Health Minister Rudi Anschober (Greens) has to repair the law after the decision of the Constitutional Court, its first draft was broken in numerous statements. Anschober apparently learned from this and called in numerous experts, such as constitutional attorney Heinz Mayer, for the second draft of the Covid Measures Act. Yesterday there was still criticism in the health commission, but the new legislative proposals were also praised.
Ten days of confinement
An unlimited lock should no longer be possible in the future. The corresponding ordinances on exit restrictions are limited in time to ten days. They then expire automatically and must be re-prescribed. In addition to the well-known reasons for leaving home, compliance with family rights and obligations must also be added.
The SPÖ wanted to define more precisely whether this also includes visits from partners who do not live in the same household or from adult children.
FPÖ and Neos criticized the fact that the Covid Measures Law, which will lose its validity in June 2021, can be extended for six months in an emergency by ordinance and without further involvement of Parliament, if the epidemiological situation makes it necessary. Attorney Heinz Mayer yesterday defended this passage as permissible.
The amendment should be decided on Wednesday. Since the ÖVP and the Greens do not have a majority in the Federal Council, the SPÖ and the FPÖ could delay the decision by eight weeks. The SPÖ is considering voting after the latest corrections.
On Monday, 563 new corona cases were reported across the country – with 181 positive tests, Lower Austria replaced Vienna (172) at the top. In Austria there were 66 new cases of corona.
More money for families and artists
The family committee yesterday paved the way to increase the family hardship fund from 60 to 100 million euros and to raise the additional income limit for adults in vocational training from 10,000 to 15,000 euros. ÖVP and the Greens also brought an increase in the Covid-19 investment premium from one to two billion euros. The Health Commission has approved an amendment to the Law of Artists and the Social Security Fund: to cushion the loss of income caused by COVID-19, the support fund for freelance artists will be increased from five to ten million euros.
Corona Studio in Reichenau
PHOTO: VOLKER WEIHBOLD
Study: more infected people, fewer antibodies
The community of Reichenau an der Rax in Lower Austria was severely affected at the start of the corona pandemic. An antibody study carried out there in 1,824 people has now revealed two interesting findings: significantly more citizens were in contact with the virus than were officially known to be infected. And: only two thirds of those infected have developed antibodies against the virus.
The latter is crucial to the question of vaccine production. “To this end, the speed, duration and efficiency with which antibodies can be formed is very important,” said Lower Austrian state medical director Irmgard Lechner of the “very surprising” result. In the 15 to 40-year-old age group, those affected had little or no antibodies. This is probably due to the mild course of the disease in this group.
Overall, many more residents had contact with the virus. The proportion of people who tested positive was 2.8 percent. The study shows that 6.5 percent were sick. This means that many had not even realized that they were carriers of the virus.
The most common symptoms
The most common corona symptoms were also recorded in the study. These include cough, fatigue, loss of taste and smell, and fever. 65 percent of those with antibodies had no symptoms. Furthermore, it has been shown that a cold “is not the main symptom of a Covid disease,” says Lechner: “It can be said with a clear conscience that children with a mild cold and who do not have a fever are probably not infected with Covid” .
Article of
Annette gantner
National Policy Editor
