Update: Lockdown in Austria - What applies from Monday 7 December?
Starting next Monday, the all-day exit restriction will be relaxed and rescheduled back to 8pm to 6am. Shops, all services providers and museums are allowed to open again. Kindergartens and compulsory schools will resume regular classes. Restaurants will remain closed. Delivery services, with the exception of the delivery or "pick-up" of alcoholic beverages will be prohibited. Cross-border arrivals from an area categorized as a risk area must be quarantined for ten days, after five days a PCR test may be performed. Outdoor sports, including skiing, will be allowed from 24 December. Restaurants, hotels and cultural institutions will not be allowed to reopen until 7 January.
Lockdown strategy: Federal Chancellor Kurz (left) and Vice Chancellor Kogler (right) discussed with Federal President Van der Bellen (center) about the planned relaxation steps and the short-term strategy for combating the pandemic. / Picture: © Bundeskanzleramt (BKA) / Dragan Tatic
The Federal Government decided today in the Council of Ministers to what extent the current lockdown will be relaxed or tightened starting next week.
The government announced the fixed details of the relaxation.
At a press conference, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz spoke of a tough, restrictive period with the continuing goal of being able to avert the overloading of intensive capacities from now on.
Night-time exit restriction
From Monday onwards, the night-time exit restriction between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., already known from the last lockdown, will apply.
During this time one may only leave one's own home for professional activities, necessary basic needs of daily life, assistance to other people and exercise in the fresh air.
In public places, all persons not living in their own household must be kept at a distance of one meter.
At meetings in closed public places, a distance of one meter is to be kept and a mouth and nose protector is to be worn. During the day it is possible that people living together in one household may meet with another household.
Borders
Interior Minister Karl Nehammer announced strict border controls.
By January 10, the classification of risk areas is to be based on the 14-day incidence of positive corona cases.
All countries with a value above 100 will be classified as risk areas. Persons (exceptions for commuters.), who enter from a risk area, must then undergo a ten-day quarantine. After five days a PCR test can be performed.
If the test result is negative, the quarantine can be terminated prematurely.
Gastronomy
Catering establishments remain closed. A pick-up is still possible.
However, no open alcoholic beverages may be sold.
Delivery services may also deliver at night. Christmas markets remain closed. Starting from 7th January the gastronomy may open again under restrictions depending on the occurrence of infection.
Chrismas
At Christmas, between 24 December and 31 December, it is possible for a total of ten people to meet, regardless of the number of households involved.
Cultural institutions
From January 7, cultural institutions and cinemas may open again. Museums and libraries will already be allowed to do so starting next Monday.
Sport
All contact sports remain prohibited, indoor sports facilities remain closed for hobby athletes. Outdoor sports facilities may open from 24 December, which means that skiing will also be possible from Christmas.
Services
All services may reopen. For customer areas there is a limit of ten square meters per customer.
No food or drinks may be served to customers in these areas.
Retail
Shops may reopen on Monday 7 December.
There is still the obligation to wear a mouth and nose protector. Here, too, there is a limit of ten square meters per customer for customer areas.
Kindergartens and schools
Compulsory schools and kindergartens will resume regular operations on Monday, December 7. Regular operation will also be resumed for secondary school graduates. Secondary schools and universities will continue to offer distance learning. From the age of ten years on, masks will also be compulsory in class.