Austria's Covid Lockdown: What You Need To Know

Austria has had several lockdowns since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The country's fourth national lockdown began in November 2021, making it the first western European country to reimpose the measure that year. People could only leave home for work, exercise and essential shopping. Non-essential shops, restaurants, bars and cinemas were closed. The lockdown was initially expected to last ten days, with officials saying they would reassess after that time. However, the country's third Covid-19 lockdown, which began in January 2021, was extended into February.

Austria's fourth COVID-19 lockdown

Austria entered its fourth COVID-19 lockdown on 22 November 2021, becoming the first European country to do so in response to the latest surge in COVID-19 infections across the continent. The country-wide lockdown was expected to last at least 10 days, with a possibility of extending to 20 days. This was the fourth national lockdown since the pandemic began, with the previous three lockdowns occurring in 2020.

Lockdown restrictions

During this fourth lockdown, people in Austria could only leave their homes for specific reasons, such as going to work, exercising, or grocery shopping. Non-essential shops, restaurants, bars, and cinemas were closed, with a plan to reassess the measures after 10 days. The lockdown primarily affected social life, with most gathering places closed. However, ski lifts remained open to the vaccinated, and people were allowed to go out for walks without any time or distance limits.

Reasons for the lockdown

Austria implemented the lockdown due to a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. The country had one of the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe, with about 65-66% of the population fully vaccinated. The far-right Freedom Party, the third-biggest in parliament, encouraged skepticism about vaccinations, contributing to the low vaccination rate.

Public reaction

The lockdown sparked mixed feelings among Austrians, with some feeling resigned as it was the fourth time the country had gone through such an experience. There were also protests against the lockdown and the vaccine mandate, with around 40,000 people, many from the far-right Freedom Party, demonstrating in Vienna.

Impact of the lockdown

The lockdown had various impacts. It disrupted Christmas shopping and forced the closure of Christmas markets. People expressed frustration and fatigue with the restrictions, and some criticized the political leadership for failing to handle the situation effectively. The lockdown also had economic consequences, contributing to an estimated total economic damage of over 70 billion euros for 2020-2022.

The impact on mental health

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated governmental restrictions on mental health have been reported in different countries. A study conducted in Austria during the first lockdown in spring 2020 revealed higher mental health symptoms (21% depression, 19% anxiety, 16% insomnia) compared to pre-pandemic data. Another study, conducted over the Christmas period, showed a further decline in mental health in Austria in comparison with the first lockdown. It has been shown that the reduction in mental health observed in the first lockdown remained despite the easing of restrictions over the summer in Austria.

The COVID-19 crisis seems particularly stressful for younger adults (35 years) and people with low income (€2,000 net household income per month). Policymakers need to consider the high social and economic costs of lockdowns and think of optimal intervention methods for mental disorders among young and low-income individuals.

The economic impact

Austria's economy has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The country, which is the 26th largest economy globally, with a GDP of $447 billion in 2019, experienced slower growth in 2020 due to the pandemic. The Austrian government imposed a series of lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus, which resulted in a sharp downturn in economic activity. The lockdowns led to closures of businesses, restrictions on travel and gatherings, and a decline in consumer spending.

One of the sectors most affected by the lockdowns was the tourism industry, which accounts for almost 7.5% of Austria's GDP. The restrictions on travel and the closure of accommodation and hospitality businesses led to a significant drop in tourism revenue. The Austrian Airlines, for instance, suspended all its operations for a period, and multiple manufacturing companies shut down their plants to prevent the spread of the virus. The lockdowns also disrupted supply chains, particularly in the manufacturing industry, as companies struggled to obtain the necessary parts from other countries.

The lockdowns also had a significant impact on employment in Austria. According to the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS), the number of unemployed people in April 2020 increased by 52.5% compared to the same month in the previous year. The rise in unemployment was due to layoffs and reduced economic activity during the lockdowns. The Austrian government implemented various support measures to cushion the impact of the pandemic on businesses and employees, including financial aid and subsidies.

Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns necessary to control its spread had a substantial negative effect on Austria's economy. The country's GDP is expected to fall by 5.25% in 2020, and the unemployment rate is projected to rise to 8.75%. The pandemic has disrupted supply chains, reduced consumer spending, and led to business closures and layoffs. The Austrian government's support measures have helped mitigate some of the economic impacts, but the country is still facing a challenging road to economic recovery.

The effect on schools

Schools in Austria were completely or partially closed for 39 weeks (approximately nine months) between March 2020 and June 2021. This was significantly longer than in Switzerland, where schools were closed for only six weeks, and slightly longer than the median of 32.5 weeks in the European Union.

Distance learning was established in most schools to compensate for closures, but learning time was probably reduced significantly. A German study, which may be extrapolated to Austria due to the countries' similar school systems, found that learning time was reduced by 3.8 hours per day on average. Low achievers were more affected, with a reduction of 4.1 hours per day.

The pandemic school closures fostered not only a loss of learning opportunities for all students but also educational inequality. There is ample evidence that links a loss of education to a worse socioeconomic status, income, health, and life expectancy.

A survey of more than 5,000 children, carried out between February and April 2021, showed that 49% of children between the ages of 6 and 18 were experiencing anxiety due to the current situation, the lockdown, and the frightening information conveyed by parents and the media. 48.1% of the children surveyed were afraid that their parents or siblings might die from COVID-19.

The survey also found that 48% of girls and 36% of boys were somewhat scared by the coronavirus situation, with girls being more afraid than boys if they were aged 10 or older. The youngest age group (6-10) and the oldest (15-18) showed more fear due to the situation than the 11-14 age group.

Another study, conducted in April 2020, found that the prevalence of depressive symptoms in Austria increased about fivefold during the lockdown compared to before the pandemic. Anxiety symptoms increased threefold. Overall, life satisfaction and well-being decreased.

In summary, the lockdown and school closures in Austria had a detrimental effect on children's mental health and well-being.

The impact on healthcare

Austria's third COVID-19 lockdown, which began in January 2021, had a significant impact on the country's healthcare system. While the lockdown was implemented to curb the spread of the virus, it also resulted in disruptions to healthcare services and access. During the lockdown, only essential shops were allowed to remain open, and people were advised to work from home whenever possible. This led to a decrease in economic activities and an increase in unemployment, with the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) reporting over 504,300 unemployed people in April 2020, a 52.5% increase from the previous year.

The healthcare sector was particularly affected by the lockdown. To prevent the spread of the virus within healthcare facilities, many non-urgent medical procedures and appointments were postponed or cancelled. This included elective surgeries and routine health services such as breast cancer screening. There was also a shift towards virtual care, with an increase in telephone and video consultations for primary care and mental health services. These changes aimed to protect healthcare capacity and prevent infections but had both positive and negative consequences for patients.

On the one hand, the lockdown may have contributed to a decrease in respiratory infections, as social distancing and travel restrictions reduced the transmission of viruses like influenza. Additionally, there was a sharp decline in trauma-related injuries due to reduced social and work activities.

However, the lockdown also led to delays in seeking medical care and accessing preventive services. There were concerns about potential negative consequences for patients who did not receive timely treatment or delayed seeking care due to fears of infection or reluctance to burden the healthcare system. This was particularly relevant for patients with cardiovascular conditions, stroke, and cancer, where early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for better outcomes.

The lockdown also impacted mental health services. While there was a rapid shift to telephone and video contact for community mental health services, there was a decrease in inpatient episodes and new community clients during the initial months of the lockdown. However, as the pandemic continued to affect the mental health and well-being of the population, there was an increase in mental health presentations to community teams, emergency departments, and public hospitals in June 2020. This reflected the growing need for mental health support during the pandemic, especially for individuals already living with mental health conditions.

Overall, the COVID-19 lockdown in Austria had a mixed impact on the healthcare sector. While it helped curb the spread of the virus and may have contributed to a decrease in certain types of infections, it also led to delays in accessing medical care and disruptions in the delivery of healthcare services. The long-term effects of these disruptions on patient outcomes and the healthcare system as a whole remain to be fully understood and require further study.

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