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GPs start coronavirus vaccinations in Vienna – but there’s a catch

General practitioners can now administer coronavirus vaccinations in Vienna, although they will need to do so off site. Here's what you need to know.

Published: 12 April 2021 18:47 CEST

GPs start coronavirus vaccinations in Vienna - but there's a catch

Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP

As of Monday, April 12th, GPs are allowed to carry out coronavirus vaccinations in Vienna.

However, due to restrictions imposed by delivery delays, they will be unable to do so at their GP surgeries.

Instead, they will need to administer vaccinations off site.

READ MORE: How do I register for the coronavirus vaccine in Vienna?

The vaccinations will take place at former testing sites in the 10th, 12th, 16th, 21st and 22nd districts of the city.

As of Monday, doctors are permitted to rent rooms to vaccinate their own patients at the locations.

The vaccinations can take place from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday.

Eventually, 30 former testing sites will be converted to vaccination centres for general practitioners, however they will be permitted to vaccinate from their surgeries by late April, Vienna health director Peter Hacker (SPÖ) said.

Delayed GP rollout

Initially, GPs were to be allowed to vaccinate from March, however the rollout was frequently delayed.

The main reason was that the vaccines from Johnson and Johnson, and AstraZeneca – both of which do not need to be stored at super-cold temperatures – were delayed.

Hacker said he hoped vaccines could be carried out in private practices by late April.

“It was a special game of patience for the doctors, but we agreed that a minimum amount of vaccine must be available” Hacker said.

More information about the specific locations can be found here.

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Donauinselfest 2024: What to know about Austria's biggest open-air festival

The Austrian Donauinselfest is known as the largest free open-air music festival in Europe. It happens yearly on Vienna’s Danube island and attracts around three million visitors over three days, from Friday the 21st until Sunday the 23rd.

The festival has been happening yearly since 1983 on the 21.1-kilometre river island. According to the official website, this year, it has several different areas and 14 stages. Visitors can expect more than 700 hours of the program.

The large festival stage offers a mix of music: The line-up includes Austropop legend Wolfgang Ambros & No. 1 vom Wienerwald, Christina Stürmer, Ronan Keating, Provinz, Juju, Alice Merton and Wanda.

On the rock stage this year, visitors can listen to acts such as Skindred, Madsen, Voodoo Jürgens, Der Nino aus Wien & die AusWienBand, PÄM, Emil Bulls, Itchy and Kontrust.

Dance and party at the OBI / kronehit electronic music stage to acts such as Twocolors, Tita Lau and Lumix. Other stages include the Schlager & Austrohits, which features classic Austrian music and culture.

READ ALSO: How you can watch Euro 2024 matches in Austria

Sports and dance programme

A varied sports and dance program spans all three days and offers exercise sessions for all generations. Yoga, 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball, dance workshops, other sporting activities, and hands-on stations await you!

“The Donauinselfest is more than just a music festival. It is a place where people from all districts of Vienna and far beyond come together. They want to celebrate and have fun together, participate in sporting activities, learn about various topics and use different services directly on-site. This colourful mix of art and culture, as well as fun, action, sports, design and consulting services, will be offered all day long on the festival grounds this year,” said Matthias Friedrich, project manager of the event.

READ ALSO: 10 things you should do in Austria this June

How do I get there?

The best way to reach the festival is by public transportation. From the Handelskai (U6), Neue Donau (U6) and Donauinsel (U1) metro stations, it takes just a few minutes to get directly to the festival grounds.

Wiener Linien shortens the intervals between subway trains to three minutes in the evening to make it easier for visitors to leave. The best way to get there by bus or streetcar is to take lines 25, 26, 31, and 29A—the intervals are shortened here on Friday and Saturday nights.

You can also get to the festival site by WienMobil bike. Three temporary stations will be set up for this purpose, where bikes can be rented and returned around the clock. The stations are at Floridsdorfer Brücke, at the Handelskai main entrance and Reichsbrücke. The exact locations can be found in the nextbike app.

READ ALSO: 10 exciting events in Vienna this June

What am I allowed to take?

Bags and rucksacks up to A3 size are permitted – anything larger is not. If you have a container with you that is larger than A3 format, the security service deployed is entitled to deny you access to the festival grounds. Any large and bulky objects, including folding chairs, are also not allowed (there are several benches and tables on site)

Umbrellas are not allowed for safety reasons – this also applies to toddlers, so please bring a rain poncho if you have one. In case of rain, rain ponchos will also be distributed on-site by the festival organisers and numerous sponsors while stocks last.

Animals are not allowed at the festival – except for guide and assistance dogs.

You’re also not allowed to bring cans and glass bottles, alcoholic drinks or any drugs. You can bring non-alcoholic drinks in PET water bottles or drinking bottles with a size of up to 0.5 litres. If you need to carry larger quantities of liquid for medical reasons, please contact the responsible security service on site. There are also numerous free water dispensers throughout the festival site. People cannot bring meals, only small snacks such as protein bars or fruits.

READ ALSO: How the New Danube protects Vienna from catastrophic floods

Of course, weapons of any kind or objects that could be used as weapons. Drones, pyrotechnic articles and laser pointers are also banned.

Finally, the festival also forbids entrance with any “propaganda” or “advertising” material, including “simply political or religious or racist, xenophobic, national socialist, sexist, etc”.

What else do I need to know?

The festival is free, but anything you consume there, such as food and beverages, is paid for. You can pay with cash or a card. The festival has numerous water dispensers free of charge, so it’s worth it to take a water bottle to refill (up to 0.5 litres is allowed).

Toilet facilities are in place throughout the festival site. A visit to a toilet in a fixed facility or a toilet container costs 0.50 cents – use of the porta-potties is free. If you plan to stay longer at the Danube Island Festival, you can buy an #allyoucanheisl band at a fixed facility or a toilet container (EUR 2.50 for one day, EUR 5.00 for all three festival days).

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