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On the last day of 2020, the government is sending the law on the blockade “as freely as possible”. The amendment to the Epidemic Law and the COVID-19 Measures Law creates exceptions for people who only present a low epidemiological risk, due to negative test results or an illness they have suffered in the last three months.
The amendment allows people with a negative test and all those who have suffered from crown disease in the last three months to be exempt from the exit restrictions. A negative test result can also be determined as a condition for entering (and driving in) operating facilities and for entering (and driving in) certain public places and places in their entirety. Likewise, the same provisions are introduced for events.
Massive testing in production facilities and before events
In addition, in the future, mass tests will also be possible “so that people can enter the production facilities and attend events.” The federal government bears the costs of this. Confirmations of the test result will be issued, which will serve as proof of the test performed. Participation in testing as part of screening programs remains voluntary. Personal health data can be processed from those who participate.
The law will be evaluated on January 3 and should take effect on January 18 before the planned opening. The exact parliamentary timetable has not yet been determined. In any case, the corresponding ordinances will continue to be drafted in which details such as controls will be regulated.
Interior Minister Karl Nehammer appealed to the population to participate in tests and vaccinations: “With regular tests or vaccinations, we will regain social life after the hard blockade. It should be clear to everyone that without regular tests or a vaccine there is no one normal Life is possible “.
Participation remains voluntary
“With this amendment to the 1950 Epidemic Act and the COVID-19 Measures Act, we are creating a legal basis that allows us a gradual and epidemiologically more controllable opening and loosening. Our goal is to prevent a rapid increase in the number of infections. after a lockdown. It is important for me to emphasize that participation in the tests remains voluntary, “said Health Minister Rudi Anschober.
However, many details remain unclear, as the Ministry of Health must determine the precise regulations by ordinance.
It is clear that the so-called screening program will now also include the objective of “entering commercial premises and attending events”. If the corona test passes negative, a confirmation must be issued. The question of what this will look like, which is complicated due to its practicality, is being postponed for the moment. The corresponding provisions will only be delivered later by ordinance.
Participation is explicitly described as voluntary. Of course, this goes hand in hand with the fact that you will probably not be able to participate in certain activities, at least during a transition phase. Because in the Covid-19 Measures Law, a new condition is added to be able to enter commercial facilities, in addition to distance regulations, mouth-nose protection and the like, namely: a corona disease that has been overcome in the last three months or a negative test result. Here, too, the central point remains open, namely, what kind of evidence it must have been. This should also be defined by regulation.
Additional “freedoms” are created
The same principle is established in the exit rules. Here, too, it is now clarified that the exceptions to the restrictions can no longer be only professional purposes, recreation, avoiding dangers, covering basic needs and care. According to the law, people who have just recovered from an infection in the last three months or who have a current test result can also be excluded. Again, the details should be set out in a regulation.
In the explanations of the legal text it says literally: “In the first steps of flexibility, the possibility is created, for example through the existence of a negative test result for SARS-CoV-2, to create additional ‘freedoms’ that allow a slow opening and epidemiologically better controllable and make sure to loosen. ” In addition, a rapid increase in the number of infections after a closure can be prevented, and this measure could represent an important intermediate step in the event of an additional closure. (apa)
