Coronavirus In Austria: Any Cases So Far?

As of December 16, 2021, there were 42 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Liezen, Austria, with no deaths or suspected cases. As of March 12, 2022, there were 55 confirmed cases in Volkermarkt, Austria, also with no deaths or suspected cases. As of November 12, 2021, Austria had one of the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe, with about 65% of the population fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

As of the 12th of March 2022, there were 55 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Volkermarkt, Austria, with no reported deaths. Across the whole of Austria, there were 656,270 confirmed cases.

Regarding the symptoms of COVID-19, people with the virus experience a wide range of symptoms, from mild to severe. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, and they may start off as mild before progressing to more severe symptoms. The following symptoms are possible:

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Congestion or a runny nose
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle or body aches

However, this list does not include all possible symptoms, and symptoms may change with new COVID-19 variants and can vary depending on vaccination status. For instance, other symptoms may include a cough, fever, and fatigue. If someone is experiencing emergency warning signs, such as persistent pain or pressure in the chest or an inability to wake or stay awake, it is important to call an emergency number or seek urgent medical care.

What is the vaccination rate in Austria?

As of June 30, 2023, Austria's full vaccination rate was 74.76%, up from 74.25% the previous year, and higher than the long-term average of 44.80%. However, Austria has faced issues with vaccine hesitancy and refusal, with studies suggesting that around 1-11% of parents refuse vaccination, and many more are hesitant about certain vaccines. This hesitancy is influenced by factors such as complacency, convenience, and a lack of trust in vaccine effectiveness and safety.

Austria has also seen regular measles outbreaks, and in 2019, it had the second-highest case-per-million rate in all EU/EEA countries, with 36.0 cases per million inhabitants. To address this, the Austrian government has implemented a computer-simulated model to estimate national vaccination coverage for measles and polio. This model suggests a significant delay in the third dose of the polio vaccine and a deficit in the recommended 2-dose coverage for measles in the 19-30 age group.

In November 2021, Austria became the first Western democracy to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for its citizens, with a nationwide rollout from February 2022. This decision was made due to a record-breaking surge in infections and low vaccination uptake, with only 65.5% of the population vaccinated at the time. The mandate was a last resort to control the spread of the virus and protect the country's healthcare system.

What measures has the Austrian government taken to curb the spread of COVID-19?

The Austrian government has taken several measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. On March 10, 2020, the government banned outdoor events with over 500 participants and indoor events with more than 100 attendees, encouraging the population to limit social contact. They also suspended flights from risk zones and implemented health checks at the border with Italy.

On March 11, the Austrian government announced the closure of daycares, schools, and universities, and suspended rail and air connections with affected countries. The following day, hospital visits were banned, and the Salzburg, Volarlberg, and Tyrol regions ended the winter sports season early.

On March 13, the government quarantined two municipalities in Tyrol, identified as high-risk areas, and announced containment measures. By March 15, Austria had adopted a strict national containment plan, closing restaurants, non-essential stores, sports facilities, and playgrounds. People were only allowed to leave their homes for essential work, purchases, caregiving, and physical activities. Gatherings of more than five people in public spaces were prohibited.

On March 24, the government announced its objective to test 15,000 people per day alongside the containment measures. On March 25, the Austrian Red Cross introduced the "Stopp Corona" mobile application for digital tracking of infected individuals.

On March 30, the government made wearing masks compulsory in supermarkets, later extending this to all stores and public transportation on April 14.

In November 2021, the Austrian government imposed another nationwide lockdown to curb the pandemic.

What are the current restrictions for unvaccinated people in Austria?

As of November 2021, Austria had some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions for unvaccinated people in Europe. At the time, the country had the lowest vaccination rate of any western European nation, excluding Liechtenstein.

In September 2021, the Austrian government agreed that unvaccinated people would face a stay-at-home order once 30% of intensive care beds were filled by COVID-19 patients. By November, the rate had reached 21%, and a surge in infections was pushing it up quickly.

In the lead-up to this, unvaccinated people were already banned from entertainment venues, restaurants, hairdressers, and other parts of public life. If the 30% threshold was met, the unvaccinated would be ordered to stay at home except for limited reasons, such as going to work, shopping for essentials, or exercise.

On November 12, 2021, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg announced that the government would give the "green light" for a nationwide lockdown for the unvaccinated. From Monday, November 15, unvaccinated people in the regions of Upper Austria and Salzburg would only be allowed to leave their homes for specific reasons. It was expected that these restrictions would be implemented across the country.

In addition, from September 15, 2021, Austria tightened a range of measures, with stricter rules for unvaccinated people. If more than 15% of intensive care capacity was reached for seven successive days, unvaccinated people would be banned from nightclubs and larger events (over 500 people without assigned seats). Only those who were vaccinated or had recently recovered from the virus would be allowed to enter. Self-tests would no longer be accepted as proof of a negative test in areas where negative tests were still accepted.

If more than 20% of ICU capacity was reached for seven successive days, antigen tests would no longer be valid for bars, restaurants, gyms, hairdressers, and other areas where the 3G rule applied. Only those who were vaccinated, had recently recovered, or had a negative PCR test would be allowed to enter.

What is the current risk assessment for the European Union?

As of 24 September 2020, the European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, stated that the most recent risk assessment showed that some countries are reporting more cases now than they did during the earlier pandemic peak in Europe. She urged member nations to move quickly to slow the latest wave of COVID-19 infections and avoid a repeat of the broad lockdowns that paralysed the continent's economy in the spring.

Kyriakides said:

> "We are at a decisive moment. All member states must be ready to roll out control measures, immediately and at the right time, at the very first sign of potential new outbreaks... This might be our last chance to prevent a repeat of last spring."

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported that there had been more than 3 million cases in Europe since the beginning of the year, with 187,509 deaths. The ECDC also said that the level of immunity in the European population remains low, with under 15% in most of the EU and the UK having antibodies.

The ECDC recommended that EU countries should emphasise curbing the spread of the virus among children and adults under 50, and that the public should be made aware that these groups can become seriously ill and expose more vulnerable populations. The ECDC continued to recommend 14-day quarantines for people who had been in contact with infected individuals.

The current risk assessment for the European Union can be viewed on the website of the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC).

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