Lockdown Ends: Austria to Open Up on May 19

On Wednesday before Whitsun, i. e. on May 19, many of the establishments closed due to the Corona pandemic will be allowed to reopen. This was recently announced by the federal government.

The key points of the announced nationwide regulations at a glance:

Opening of restaurants

• Operation allowed both indoors and outdoors
• Mandatory registration and presentation of a test result/vaccination certificate/confirmation of having been through the disease 
  • Validity of tests: self-test with digital solution 24 hours, antigen test 48 hours, PCR test 72 hours
  • From probably the end of May, the "green passport" will be able to serve as a ticket for those who have been tested, vaccinated or convalesced
• Outdoor maximum 10 adults at one table, indoor maximum 4 adults plus children
• Masks are compulsory when entering and moving within the premises
• Employees with customer contact are required to wear FFP2 masks. Employees with customer contact who are tested as part of the occupational group tests can wear a simple mouth-nose protection instead of an FFP2 mask.
• Every catering establishment must draw up a prevention concept and appoint a Covid 19 representative
• Two meters distance between persons of foreign tables
• Closing time at 10 p.m. 

Opening of cultural and event venues

• Opening of all cultural venues throughout the country
• Events only in front of a seated audience and with a maximum capacity of 50 percent, outdoor maximum 3,000 people, indoor maximum 1,500
• Maximum of 50 people at events without assigned seating (indoor and outdoor)
• Events with 11 or more people are subject to registration, with 51 or more people a permit is required from the health authority
• Obligatory registration and presentation of a test result/vaccination certificate/confirmation of having been through an illness
• Validity of tests: self-test with digital solution 24 hours, antigen test 48 hours, PCR test 72 hours
• From probably the end of May, the "green passport" will be able to serve as an entry ticket for those who have been tested, vaccinated or convalesced
• Masks must be worn throughout the entire event - indoors and outdoors
• Each event organizer must draw up a prevention concept and appoint a Covid 19 officer
• No food service allowed at events without assigned seating Closing time at 10 p.m.

Opening of accommodation facilities

• Compulsory registration and presentation of a test result/vaccination certificate/confirmation of disease contracted
• Validity of tests: self-test with digital solution 24 hours, antigen test 48 hours, PCR test 72 hours
• From probably the end of May, the "green passport" will be able to serve as an entry ticket for those who have been tested, vaccinated or convalesced
• Mandatory wearing of masks when entering and moving within the premises
• Every lodging establishment must create a prevention concept and appoint a Covid 19 officer
• In wellness areas, 20 square meters per guest must be available in the respective enclosed space
• The same rules apply to hotel gastronomy as to gastronomy in general (incl. curfew at 10:00 p.m.)

Opening of fitness studios and sports facilities

• Outdoor again all sports allowed FFP2 masks compulsory in general areas (e.g. at reception, in changing rooms)
• For indoor sports, 20 square meters per person must be available
• Compulsory registration and presentation of a test result/vaccination certificate/confirmation of having passed an illness
• Validity of tests: self-test with digital solution 24 hours, antigen test 48 hours, PCR test 72 hours
• From probably the end of May, the "Green Pass" will be able to serve as an admission ticket for those who have been tested, vaccinated or convalesced
• Each sports facility (indoor and outdoor) must draw up a prevention concept and appoint a Covid 19 officer
• Closing time at 10 p.m.

Return to face-to-face teaching

• Beginning May 17, schools will return to face-to-face classes
• Mandatory mouth-to-nose protection in lower school, FFP2 mandatory in upper school
• Prerequisite for school attendance is a negative coronal test, in school testing 3 times per week (self-testing is allowed)
• Occupational testing of teachers takes place with supervised self-testing at school

WKW - Wirtschaftskammer Österreich

Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz