Austria to allow full houses from July

Article posted by Coliseum, June 4^th, 2021

Image: ABB

Come July 1^st, 2021, and Austria will again allow packed stadia, concert halls and theaters – and it will no longer be a mask mandatory scenario.

‘PNP’ (Passauer Neue Presse) stated that the Vice-Chancellor of Austria, Werner Kogler of the Green Party, announced recently in Vienna that the upper limits for the number of visitors to outdoor and indoor events would no longer be restricted. However, the prerequisite will be that the visitors have taken coronavirus tests, have recovered from the virulent virus or have taken the vaccine. Events with more than 500 people are subject to approval.

Stated the Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), “From July 1^st you can get married again, you can celebrate again.”

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‘PNP’ further stated that open-air concerts with standing room could also take place again. While face coverings will no longer be mandatory at events, the same will have to be worn while going to supermarkets or while traveling by buses and trains.

Kurz said the above decision has been taken as there is a marked improvement in the COVID-19 scenario in Austria and even hospitals are no longer overwhelmed. Moreover, from June 10^th, customers while visiting retail outlets can keep a distance of 10 square meters than the earlier requirement of 20 square meters per customer. The curfew timings will also start from midnight. Right now, it is curfew from 10 pm. The seven-day average cases in Austria as of May 31^st, 2021 stand at 439.

However, Kurz asked the people not to let their guards down completely and to take all the necessary safety measures in the next few weeks. He said that it is possible that since restrictions will be loosened, there might be a rise in COVID-19 numbers again, but the main factor would be hospital admission numbers.

Kurz was hopeful that due to the vaccination rollout program, there should not be a rise in virus numbers anymore and it should be a “normal summer”.

Border entry

As of July 1^st, people entering Austria will no longer have to register online before crossing the border. However, anyone who crosses the border will still require to be tested, or should have recovered from the virulent virus or have taken the COVID-19 jab.

As per Austria’s Minister for Sustainability and Tourism, Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP), the tourism scenario is starting to look up due to restrictions being gradually lifted on border entry.

Art and Culture State Secretary Andrea Mayer (Greens) said she was hugely relieved that the live event industry was again opening up – “The art and culture industry has suffered greatly due to the pandemic, and everybody associated with this industry has shown great courage in dealing with this pandemic situation which has decimated every sector. We can now plan for the big summer festivals.”

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