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COVID-19

Austria sees bump in vaccine take up after 2G announcement

Long queues have been spotted outside Austrian vaccine centres at the weekend, indicating that new restrictions on the unvaccinated may be having an effect.

Published: 7 November 2021 16:15 CET
A health worker at a vaccination center at a BILLA Plus supermarket is preparing the vaccination in Vienna
A health worker at a vaccination center at a BILLA Plus supermarket is preparing the vaccination in Vienna on August 25, 2021. Photo: ALEX HALADA / AFP

Some 10,000 people had their first shot of a vaccine in Austria on Saturday a day after the government announced that it was bringing in new rules only allowing vaccinated and recovered people into restaurants, cultural venues and other indoor areas.

Meanwhile long queues were spotted outside vaccine stations such as the vaccine bus in Vienna-Döbling on Sunday.

On Friday, before the government announcement, some 17,000 people turned up for their first shot, according to a report in Der Standard.

On Saturday some 32,000 vaccinations were carried out, most of them being booster doses. Doctors have already administered 213,000 vaccinations this week – the highest number since early August.

Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg made clear on Sunday that he does not expect the restrictions on the unvaccinated to be lifted within the next six weeks.

“It will probably be a 2G Christmas,” he told the Kronen Zeitung. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler also said that the restrictions would “in all likelihood” still be in effect on New Year’s Eve.

A total of 8,554 new cases of infection with the coronavirus were confirmed nationwide on Sunday, a significant increase on a week ago when 5,684 new cases were reported.

READ MORE: How will Austria’s Covid rules change on November 8th?

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HEALTH

Tens of thousands of workers in Austria hit by Covid and flu as cases rise

Does it seem like everyone around you in Austria is sick? As it turns out, statistics support your suspicions.

Published: 28 November 2023 09:46 CET
Tens of thousands of workers in Austria hit by Covid and flu as cases rise

Last week, over 110,000 people in Austria were absent from work due to COVID-19, influenza, or flu-like diseases.

Statistics from ÖGK policyholders, Austria’s largest public health insurer, indicated that more than 400 individuals were specifically impacted by influenza (“real flu”), while over 84,000 stayed home due to flu-like symptoms. ÖGK’s chief physician, Andreas Krauter, highlighted a noticeable uptick in sick days via a statement on Monday.

The news comes Austria struggles with 10,000 more COVID-19 infections. than at the same time last year. Several variants of the Omicron strain of the virus are currently under observation by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and with temperatures plummeting, it is thought that a colder winter could further boost cases. 

Austria was a centre of several COVID-19 outbreaks in the early months of the pandemic, and stringent measures were introduced across the country in order to tackle its spread. 

READ MORE: How can I get a Covid or flu vaccine in Austria this autumn?

In his statement, Krauter emphasised the efficacy of masks in offering reliable protection against infection and curtailing further transmission. He particularly stressed the importance of considering this protective measure for individuals with underlying health risks. “For them and everyone else, we recommend vaccination against Covid-19 and influenza. Washing your hands is also important”, he said in a press release.

In total, ÖGK recorded 297,000 individuals afflicted by various illnesses or injuries and registered for sick leave during the last week.

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