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In several areas of winter sports in Austria, the onslaught of skiers and slides in the middle of the blockade created problems. As a result, some operators closed the area entirely or blocked it for more visitors.
In Styria state, police reported long traffic jams and waiting times in the streets on Sunday morning. Several parking spaces are full, they have been cordoned off. The Hauser Kaibling and St. Jakob im Walde ski areas have been closed to other athletes.
In Carinthia, the authorities closed the streets to foreigners because the rush was too great. The Bodental ski area south of Klagenfurt and the Dobratsch Alpine road were affected.
The news portal Vol.at published a video about Boxing Day that supposedly shows a crowd in front of an elevator in Damüls (Vorarlberg). The people who are in it wear face masks and nose, but they hardly keep a distance from each other.
Despite the general curfew, skiing is not prohibited in Austria. The national sport benefits from an exemption that also applies to other individual sports. Skiers can use lifts and mountain railways. They must maintain a minimum distance of one meter. The cable cars can only be used 50 percent, passengers must wear FFP2 masks. In Germany, however, the ski lifts are closed.
Ski rentals are also allowed in Austria and ski schools can teach at least members of a common household. »For the ski instructor, this activity has a professional purpose and, therefore, a […] Exception to exit restriction ‘, it says on the website of the Austrian Ministry of Social Affairs.
For vacationers from Germany and other countries, skiing in Austria is not an option. Hotels are closed until January 17th. Anyone entering the country must be quarantined for at least five days.
Harsh criticism of the conditions perceived in ski areas is spread on the Internet. “Let’s finally get back to Ischgl,” commented one Twitter user sarcastically. The Tyrolean winter sports resort is considered a breeding ground for the spread of the virus last winter.
Fully closed sled meadows
At that time, more than 11,000 EU citizens were only infected with the virus in Austria, according to ORF research, mainly in Ischgl and the surrounding Tyrolean ski areas. At least 27 people, mostly Germans, are said to have paid with their lives for the fun of Tyrolean skiing. This winter, Ischgl does not want to open its ski area until January.
Some media in Austria called the ski operation during and after the Christmas holidays a success. There were no traffic jams while queuing for elevators, public radio station ORF quoted an official in Carinthia as saying.
In some communities, however, the rush became unsettling. Semmering (Lower Austria) closed the sled meadows on Sunday. The “Kronenzeitung” quoted the mayor of the municipality as saying that “the distance rules are not being respected.” According to him, at times more than 1,000 people went sledding.
