[ad_1]
The situation for the crown in Austria remains tense. To control the numbers, the government had provided free quick tests. However, there was little interest from the population.
By Clemens Verenkotte, ARD-Studio Vienna
In five of the nine federal states, free rapid tests largely ended last Sunday, but participation did not meet the expectations of the Austrian federal government. In Vienna, almost 14 percent of the population participated, in Salzburg about 20 percent, in Lower Austria just under 38 percent of the population participated in antigen testing. Originally, the government expected a national share of 60 percent.
Tested a total of two million people
Gerry Foitik, the Federal Rescue Commander of the Austrian Red Cross, says two million people have been tested and some 4,500 people have been identified as positive. They could no longer infect others. “That is a success if you compare it with the three and a half million tests we have done from March to today.
According to Health Minister Rudolf Anschober, the positive antigen test results were verified by a second PCR test. Anschober was satisfied with the results of the first round of the massive test. People who would have unknowingly otherwise infected other people were removed from the infection cycle. A second round of testing will begin between January 8 and 10.
Participation in all federal states lower than expected
In the federal state of Styria, just under 21 percent of people over the age of six participated in antigen testing, with 0.4 percent of testing positive. Also in Carinthia, turnout was 19 percent below expectations and 0.5 percent of the tests were positive. Carinthia provincial deputy head of government Beate Prettner told ORF: “The comments I received were from people who have never or rarely used a test and have had no symptoms. And we have at least 500 leaked with a test of positive antigen “.
In the state of Salzburg, 0.4 percent of rapid tests were positive. A three times higher number was expected, said Salzburg Governor Wilfried Haslauer. Turnout was less than previously assumed, Haslauer says: “We were prepared for a larger quantity structure. But what we saw: it worked extremely well.”
Given the relatively low level of participation in rapid tests, the federal government is considering incentives for the next round of tests in order to encourage more people to participate: the Ministry of Health is examining “incentive systems.” In Tyrol, residents could be tested “permanently and free of charge” from December 19 until the New Year, Governor Günther Platter said over the weekend. Upper Austria also wants to extend the free trials.
