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VIENNA (Reuters) – Austrians flocked to recently reopened hair salons, beauticians and electronics stores on Saturday, savoring the loosening of a seven-week-old coronavirus blockade, although the move could still cause a spike in infections .
The Alpine republic acted early in its outbreak to close restaurants, bars, theaters, schools, nonessential stores, and other hangouts, helping to reduce the daily increase in infections to less than 1%. Austria has reported around 15,500 cases and 589 deaths so far.
The conservative government has said that those relatively low numbers warrant a gradual reopening. The second phase, shopping malls, larger stores, and service providers, including hairdressers, began on Friday, a holiday, which means almost all of them reopened on Saturday.
“After seven weeks of no possible appointments, I am very fortunate to have had my first appointment at my hair salon,” said Gertraud Schubert proudly as she cut and dyed her hair at Hair Concept, a Vienna salon that is completely reserved. for the next three weeks.
Of several European countries that have loosened their locks, Switzerland and Denmark have already allowed hairdressers to reopen, prompting relief among many who had become slovenly and careless while working from home.
In Vienna, hairdressers and customers wore face masks, which are required in stores and on public transport.
The loosening of the closure began on April 14 with DIY and garden centers as well as nonessential stores of up to 400 square meters. Restaurants, cafes, and bars may reopen on May 15, followed by hotels on May 29, as long as infections do not increase.
While new infections remain low, there are signs of a possible rebound. Reproduction rate, the average number of people who contract the virus from each infected person, has increased for several days, according to a report https://www.ages.at/download/0/0/ec577379e9f1d2ddb6622b12f51e139f56b7deb5/fileadmin/ AGES2015 / Wissen-Aktuell / COVID19 / Update_Epidemiologische_Parameter_des_COVID19_Ausbruchs_2020-04-30.pdf by the public health agency AGES published on Thursday.
The reproduction rate, often called R and calculated over 13 days, was 0.67% nationwide. In Vienna, home to more than a fifth of the population, it was already close to 1, according to the report. Above 1, infections increase exponentially.
Austria also relaxed its general closing rules on Friday, saying the public no longer needed a reason such as shopping or exercising to leave their homes.
(Additional report by Leonhard Foeger and Francois Murphy; Written by Francois Murphy and James Drummond; Nick Macfie edition)
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