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In order not to reach the limit of medical capacities, Foreign Minister Kurz will talk tomorrow with the social partners and on Saturday with the other parties and state governors.
“We are currently experiencing a second wave in Europe, a second wave that we expected.” With these words, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) opened a press conference on the situation of the crown in Austria on Thursday. This “wave hits Europe with full force,” Kurz said. And he appealed: “It is very hard to have to endure so long”, but: “We have to take countermeasures so that there is no overload of capacities in Austria.” One “will not allow doctors to get into the situation of having to decide” who can survive and who should die, “said the head of government, referring to France, where” cancer operations have already been postponed “due to the increase in Covid.
Austria has a “well-equipped healthcare system,” Kurz assured him. There is no reason to panic, but it cannot be denied that the capacities of hospitals are limited. The Chancellor recalled that about two weeks ago he said that if there were around 6,000 new infections with Sars-CoV-2 per day, intensive care medicine would be “overloaded” at some point. There are currently only about 4,500 new infected people, but: The numbers would currently double in a week, Kurz emphasized.
This forecast has now been confirmed by experts, Kurz referred to a briefing previously held at the Chancellery. In addition to Kurz, the Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler and the Minister of Health Rudolf Anschober (both green), the virologist Elisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl from MedUni Vienna, Klaus Markstaller, president of the Austrian Society of Anesthesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Medicine, Oswald Wagner, participated. vice-rector of MedUni Vienna. , Herwig Ostermann, Managing Director of Health Austria and Thomas Hausner, specialist at the Lorenz Böhler Accident Hospital in Vienna.
Consultations with countries and opposition on Saturday
Of course, Kurz admitted, for many diseases Covid-19 takes the form of a “cold, many have no symptoms.” But: “We also have a percentage with a difficult course and a certain percentage of people who even need intensive medical treatment.” In other words: “Many survive” if they are treated in time and correctly, however, he repeated once more. : “As in any other country, capacities are limited.” We will not allow ourselves to be reaching their limits, “Kurz emphasized, announcing that” we would like to take intensive countermeasures. “
Specifically: tomorrow, Friday, the highest government will hold talks with the social partners, on Saturday it will meet with the other parliamentary parties and state governors to discuss how to proceed. Later on Saturday, the public will be informed of any adjustments.
Anschober: “They have a great need for action”
The chancellor asked not to speculate until Saturday. The government is working closely with experts and other countries, including Germany, which (like France) has imposed another month-long lockdown. Once again, Kurz also appealed to citizens to reduce the number of social contacts; this is a step that in any case would reduce the number of new infections.
Health Minister Anschober added that the situation was “even more drastic” than in March. The forecasts for Tuesday afternoon are increasingly alarming. It can be assumed that the number of infections will rise to 5800 by the end of this week. “Therefore, we have a great need to act to stop development,” Anschober said. One particular problem is that the average age of those affected is currently increasing and more infections are occurring in nursing homes and nursing homes.
Herwig Ostermann, Managing Director of Health Austria, provided further figures. On average, for every 100 new patients, one person came to an intensive care unit and stayed there for twelve and a half days. But: The patients would be “quickly more”. By mid-November, 400 to 500 patients could be in intensive care units. If it comes down to it, they are at least “available”, given that there are around 2,000 intensive care beds in this country. But: Regardless of Covid patients, a certain number of beds are also urgently needed, for example for accident victims or patients with operations that cannot be postponed.
In short: “Negotiating is a little easier”
In closing, Kurz recalled the creed of the Federal Government, which had been repeatedly stated in recent months: “All possible freedom, as much restriction as necessary.” The company continues to adhere to this strategy. The only thing that has changed since the spring is that we now know more about the virus, the number of unreported cases, and the treatment options than we did then. We also already know the effect of certain measures, “that makes acting a little easier and that’s good.”
