Covid-19 in Austria: Lower Austria and Burgenland Extend Easter Lockdown

After Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland will also extend the Easter lockdown in effect from April 1 to April 11 to contain the Covid-19 crisis.

This was announced by Lower Austrian Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Burgenland Governor Hans Peter Doskozil.

Before the announcement of the two provinces, there had been a conference call between Mikl-Leitner and Doskozil.

"While a nationwide strategy remains outstanding and the extension of the test strategy failed in parliament," the situation in parts of the eastern region is "critical," Mikl-Leitner said.

Therefore, Lower Austria "in solidarity with Vienna" will extend the agreed measures until April 11. According to the currently valid decree, the lockdown in Vienna ends at the end of April 10.

Despite the burden on health care, the Ministry of Health is not succeeding in developing a comprehensible approach for all provinces, Mikl-Leitner explained.

This should be noted. The governor of Lower Austria sees "extensive testing" as the most efficient means in the fight against the pandemic.

He said this was "clearly" evident in the Lower Austrian districts of Neunkirchen, Wiener Neustadt-Land and the city of Wiener Neustadt, for example. There, the 7-day incidence had dropped from over 560 to 292.

The experts also expected that the additional measures, which Lower Austria had already initiated two weeks ago, would have a positive effect on the further course in Lower Austria in the next few days.

Doskozil, meanwhile, continues to push for a federal-state meeting for a unified strategy.

The population and the economy need clarity and the ability to plan, he demands.

What rules apply?

Exit restriction from 0-24 h:

Leaving and staying outside one's own private living area is only permitted for the known exceptional reasons, such as:

• Averting an immediate danger to life, limb or property;
• Care and assistance to persons in need of support, and exercise of family rights and fulfillment of family obligations;
• Meeting the necessary basic needs of daily life, such as, in particular:
  • contact with the cohabiting partner not living in the common household or contact with individual closest relatives (parents, adult children, siblings) or individual important reference persons with whom physical or non-physical contact is usually maintained several times a week,
  • the provision of basic necessities of daily life,
  • the use of health care services or testing for COVID-19 as part of screening programs,
• Occupational purposes and educational purposes, as necessary,
• Spending time outdoors alone, with persons in the shared household, or with individual relatives or close caregivers for physical and mental recreation.

For meetings, the 1+1 rule applies both indoors and outdoors:

1 household may meet with a maximum of 1 individual (relative or close caregiver).

Trips to the secondary residence are permitted.

Commerce:

• Only those stores offering goods for daily use (such as supermarkets and pharmacies) will remain open;
• All other stores will be closed;
• Open stores may only offer those goods that correspond to their typical range;
• Click & Collect is possible for all stores. The transfer of goods must take place outdoors.

Services:

• Closure of body-related service businesses (e.g. hairdressers, masseurs, beauty salons).
• Still possible are at least two-sided business-related stores (B2B).

Gastronomy:

• Regulations for food service remain unchanged: no on-site consumption, pickup possible from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., delivery 24/7

Culture and Recreation:

• Closure of all recreational and cultural facilities, this now again includes zoos, zoos and botanical gardens, as well as museums, art halls, cultural exhibition houses, libraries, libraries and archives.

Sports and youth:

• Youth sports and youth activities gatherings are prohibited during the "Easter rest".
• Outdoor sports facilities may still be entered by amateur athletes, but not indoors. However, the 1+1 rule applies here as well: maximum 1 household and 1 individual.

All detailed information on the rules at: https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informationen-zum-Coronavirus/Coronavirus---Aktuelle-Ma%C3%9Fnahmen.html