The Austrian capital of Vienna has decided to take a stricter course regarding Covid measures than the rest of the country. 

The decision was announced on Thursday, February 3rd, with Vienna mayor Michael Ludwig criticising the federal measures as being inconsistent with the country’s compulsory vaccine mandate. 

Austria has announced a gradual relaxation of a range of Covid measures with relation to entry into bars, restaurants along with curfews and mask rules. 

These measures will be relaxed on a step-by-step basis throughout February. A comprehensive breakdown can be seen at the following link. 

READ MORE: How Austria’s Covid restrictions are changing in February

From February 5th the curfew for bars and restaurants will be moved from 10pm to midnight, while on the 12th unvaccinated people will be allowed to shop in non-essential retail. 

On the 19th, while the rest of the country will again allow people to visit bars and restaurants with a negative test – i.e. the return of the 3G rule – in Vienna only the vaccinated and recovered will be allowed to enter (i.e. 2G). 

Ludwig questioned whether allowing the unvaccinated to again enter hospitality venues at the same time as making vaccination mandatory was wise. 

“A relaxation of this regulation would counteract the efforts to increase the vaccination rate, which is still due. In addition, the health of many Viennese would be endangered unnecessarily, since masks are not always worn in the catering trade,” he said. 

Ludwig pointed to troubling figures from Vienna’s hospitals. 

“We have increasing numbers in the hospitals” Ludwig said on Thursday afternoon. 

“We have increasing numbers there, so there is no talk of any noticeable relief. The situation remains difficult, we don’t know exactly how omicron will affect the infection process and occupancy in the hospitals,”