Vienna Jan. 30 (BUS): Austria will begin easing restrictions related to COVID-19 next week, Chancellor Karl Nahammer said at a press conference, allowing shops and restaurants to stay open for longer and easing restrictions on the unvaccinated.
The moves come as alternative Omicron reduces hospitalizations despite rising infection numbers, Reuters reports.
From February 5, Austria will extend the maximum allowed hours for restaurants and shops to open until midnight and increase the number of people able to participate in events to 50 from 25, Nehammer said.
“The good thing despite everything in this difficult situation – the hospital numbers are at a good level, and I think it is fair to say that they are at a very good level,” Niemer said at a press conference in Vienna.
“Now we are in a position to lift new heights that allow people to rest.”
Driven by one of the highly contagious types of Omicron, daily new infections surged in Austria, with nearly 35,000 new cases reported on Saturday.
However, the pressure on hospitals has eased, with Omicron leading to less serious outcomes, and the current Omicron wave is expected to reach its peak February 7-9, Director-General of Public Health Katharina Reich said at the same press conference.
In another step, from February 12, Austria will scrap so-called “2G rules” that prevent those who have not been vaccinated against the virus or have recovered from entering non-essential stores.
Since November 15, those who are not fully vaccinated are under lockdown, meaning they are only allowed to leave their homes for a limited number of reasons such as shopping for essentials or working. The measure, which was suspended over Christmas, has been criticized for being too difficult to implement.
Austria last week set January 31 as the date to end the complete lockdown of vaccinators, and to remove restrictions on their movement.
However, they are still prohibited from participating in a range of leisure activities, including eating in restaurants or shopping for non-essential items, as part of the government’s efforts to increase the vaccination rate, which is among the lowest in Western Europe.
Now, besides entering stores from February 12, Austria will also ease measures preventing non-restaurants from entering restaurants from February 19, Nahammer said, saying that those who have a negative COVID test result will be able to visit restaurants and attractions.