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Austria cannot get out of the frenzy of anti-corona measures.
After a soft lockdown, a hard lockdown and the currently de facto soft lockdown rules, the hammer comes after Christmas: On December 26th, extensive restrictions will come into force, which should apply until January 18th.
Thereafter, only those who have tested negative for the corona virus should be allowed to move freely.
Another mass test, but this time an almost mandatory one.
It is planned that all around 8.9 million citizens of the country will be tested on the weekend of January 16 and 17.
Those who refuse must remain in quarantine for at least another week.
Tests should also play a central role afterwards.
Cultural events should only be attended with a negative test.
Similar rules should apply to the entire tourism business.
That sounds like an emergency measure - and it probably is.
Because the hard lockdown prescribed in mid-November had pushed the numbers in Austria from more than 9,000 new infections daily to currently 2000 to 3000.
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But since they are currently stagnating - at a level that epidemiologists describe as "threateningly high".
With the end of the measures, the numbers rose again a few days later.
The incidence is still in the national average around 200.
Now the trade is supposed to close again after Christmas;
Exceptions to the exit restrictions that then apply around the clock will be greatly reduced.
After the end of the holidays on January 7th, the schools will initially go back to distance learning.
However, the ski areas may open under certain conditions.
The goal now is an incidence of less than 100 by mid-January.
Above all, the test on the last lockdown weekend in mid-January divided the country.
The FPÖ chairman Herbert Kickl spoke of "compulsory tests" through the back door, from which it is not far to a "compulsory vaccination".
The liberal Neos, on the other hand, generally criticize the government's crisis management and speak of “complete lack of planning”.
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Most recently, the impression arose that the federal government's crisis management came from a random generator.
Only at the beginning of the week did the lift and cable car operators receive new guidelines for the opening of the ski areas on December 24th, accompanied by wild debates about the modalities.
In addition, the lift companies were given a second risk analysis of their pandemic concepts.
Then it was said that the Christmas holidays would be extended until January 11th - now the school will start again on the 7th, albeit from home.
Nobody knew about mass testing
I saw Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's measures confirmed by the imposition of lockdown in Germany - only that Germany implemented the hard lockdown with an incidence only half as high.
Another time he announced mass tests - without other bodies such as the Ministry of Health, the federal states or the emergency services knowing anything about it.
The lockdowns ultimately did not bring the desired success.
Nationwide, just 25 percent of the population took part in the mass tests.
The various U-turns in the past few days increasingly disgruntled Kurz's own camp and his ÖVP party.
Business representatives in the party speak of a "catastrophe", the hotel industry, which is close to the ÖVP, is angry.
It was assumed that the houses would open on January 7th.
Merely the trade has no reason to complain, as the Christmas business was made possible for them and the stress of exchanges afterwards was spared.