Austria's Second Hard Lockdown: So what applies now? - Live Updates

The ordinance came into force on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 and is valid up to and including December 6, 2020.

Based on the relevant provisions of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures Act, the initial restrictions will apply for the time being up to and including November 26, 2020 and must be reviewed by the main committee of the National Council after 10 days. The COVID-19 Emergency Measures Ordinance replaces the previously valid COVID-19 Protection Measures Ordinance.

Exit regulations

Leaving the private living area and staying outside the private living area are only permitted for the following purposes:

1. to avert an immediate danger to life, limb and property
2. care of and assistance to persons in need of support as well as exercising family rights and fulfilling family obligations
3. covering the basic needs of daily life, in particular contact with the partner who does not live in the same household or contact with individual closest relatives or important persons with whom contact is usually maintained several times a week the supply of basic goods of daily life the use of health services the coverage of a housing need the satisfaction of basic religious needs, such as visits to cemeteries and individual visits to places of worship, and the care of animals.
4. professional and educational purposes, if necessary.
5. stay outdoors for physical and mental recreation
6. for the exercise of official or judicial channels that cannot be postponed
7. to participate in elections provided for by law and to use instruments of direct democracy provided for by law
8. for the purpose of entering locations and customer areas of business premises, the entry of which is permitted under this Ordinance and
9. to participate in events listed in the Ordinance

Distance and mouth-nose protection

The obligation to keep a distance of at least one meter from people who do not live in the same household as well as the obligation to wear a mouth and nose protector in public places continues to apply.

Mass transportation and carpooling

In means of mass transportation and the associated subway stations, platforms, stops, train stations and airports, a distance of at least one meter must be maintained from persons who do not live in the same household and a mouth and nose protector must be worn.

If, due to the number of passengers and when boarding and alighting, it is not possible to maintain a distance of at least one meter, it is possible to deviate from this rule by way of exception.

In motor vehicles (private car, cab, Uber) a maximum of two persons per row of seats may be transported (exception: common household). In addition, a mouth and nose protector must be worn.

Cable cars, gondolas and lifts remain closed for leisure purposes.

Stores, trade and services

It is prohibited to enter or drive into the customer area of business premises of retail and service companies including leisure facilities (these include theaters, concert halls, cinemas, museums, baths, dance schools, casinos, fairground businesses, etc.).

Furthermore, customer areas of service companies that are not close to the body may be visited (car repair shops, insurance companies, cleaning shops, alteration tailors, etc.).

Closed remain enterprises, which offer body near services (e.g. hairdressers, nail studios, piercing studios, massage studios - exception: medical purposes).

Stores that may be allowed to remain open

• Public pharmacies
• Food trade (including sales outlets of food producers and direct marketers from farmers)
• Drugstores and drugstore
• Sale of medical and sanitary products, remedies and aids
• Health and care services
• Services for people with disabilities provided by the federal states within the framework of laws on disability assistance, social welfare, participation and equal opportunities veterinary services
• Sale of animal feed Sale and maintenance of safety and emergency products
• Agricultural trading, including auctions of animals for slaughter, as well as horticultural operations and regional product trading with seed, feed and fertilizer
• Filling stations and electric filling stations including car wash
• Banks Postal service providers including their postal partners
• Ticket counters at train stations and in the subway
• Tobacco stores and newspaper kiosks Waste disposal companies
• Car and bicycle repair shops and
• Car and bicycle rental

Shopping is only allowed from 6.00 to 19.00 hours.

Pharmacies, gas stations and delivery services are excluded.

However, only goods that correspond to the "typical range of goods of the respective store" may be purchased in the stores that remain open.

The distance rule, the 10 m2 rule per customer and the obligatory wearing of a mouth and nose protector during the purchase remain in force.

Gastronomy, accommodation, events and sports

Catering establishments will remain closed.

Excluded are hospitals and health resorts, facilities for the elderly, nursing and disabled, facilities for the care and accommodation of children and adolescents as well as company canteens exclusively for employees.

A collection of food and beverages from 06.00 to 19.00 hours is still possible.

The food and beverages may not be consumed within a radius of 50 meters of the company premises.

As before, delivery service is possible around the clock. Accommodation facilities must continue to be closed for tourist purposes.

Events remain prohibited

Exceptions are, for example, funerals with a maximum of 50 persons, professional meetings that cannot be postponed, meetings of the supervisory board, general meetings, meetings of the works council, meetings for absolutely necessary professional training and further education purposes and the completion of professional final examinations that require attendance and are not possible digitally.

Entering sports facilities for the purpose of practising sports is prohibited for amateur athletes

Top-class sport is excluded from this.

Individual outdoor sports are still possible.

Work and profession

Wherever possible, a switch to home office should be made.

In future, an MNS must be worn at the workplace if the minimum distance of one meter is not reached.

Other suitable protective measures are also possible (fixed teams, partition walls).

Retirement and nursing homes

For protection in old people's and nursing homes, employees in the respective facilities must be tested once a week.

If tests are not available in sufficient quantity, priority must be given to employees with contact to residents.

As an alternative to the test, a Corona SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Respiratory Protection Mask (CPA) or equivalent or higher standard mask must be worn.

Operators must implement appropriate prevention concepts based on the risk analysis and the current state of science.

Residents of old people's homes and nursing homes may be visited by one person at most once a week (except for palliative care, hospice care and pastoral care).

Visitors must present a negative test result. In the case of an antigen test, the sample may not be taken more than 24 hours before the test is performed, and in the case of a PCR test, no more than 48 hours. If a negative test result cannot be presented, a Corona SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Respiratory Protective Mask (CPA) or equivalent or higher standard mask must be worn throughout.

Hospitals and health resorts

To protect hospitals and health resorts, employees must be tested once a week.

As an alternative to the test, a Corona SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Respiratory Protection Mask (CPA) or equivalent or higher standard mask must be worn.

Patients who are admitted to hospitals or health resorts for longer than one week may be visited once a week by one person.

Exceptions are:

• Visits of underage patients (maximum two persons accompanying the patient)
• Patients in need of support (no more than two people to accompany them) a maximum of one person to accompany a woman during pregnancy, before and during childbirth, and for visits after childbirth
• Visits in the context of palliative care and hospice accompaniment, pastoral care, as well as accompaniment during critical life events
• Patient advocates according to the Accommodation Act (UbG), Federal Law Gazette No. 155/1990, and established commissions for the protection and promotion of human rights
• Visitors must present a negative test result. In case of an antigen test, the sample must not be taken more than 24 hours ago, in case of a PCR test, not more than 48 hours. If a negative test result cannot be presented, a Corona SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Respiratory Protective Mask (CPA) or equivalent or higher standard appropriate mask must be worn.

Period of validity

The Ordinance comes into force on 17 November 2020 and is valid up to and including 6 December 2020.

The initial restrictions apply on the basis of the relevant provisions of the COVID-19 Measures Act, initially up to and including 26 November 2020, and must be re-examined by the Main Committee of the National Council after 10 days.

The COVID-19 Emergency Measures Ordinance replaces the previously valid COVID-19 Protection Measures Ordinance.