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COVID-19
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas Visiting Vienna
In preparation for Germany's EU Presidency in the second half of 2020, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas visited Austria and met Foreign Minister Schallenberg, among other things to restore normality in the area of freedom of travel as quickly as possible.
June 19, 2020
Austria's Contribution to the "Conference on the Future of Europe"
Minister for European Affairs Karoline Edtstadler started her Austria Dialogues on the Conference on the Future of Europe (Konferenz zur Zukunft Europas) with a series of talks with representatives of the Federal Provinces, mayors and EU municipal councils.
June 9, 2020
Austrian Airlines Deal: EUR 450 Million for Vienna Hub Guarantee
The Lufthansa subsidiary will receive EUR 450 million from the Republic of Austria, EUR 300 million of which as a loan guarantee and EUR 150 million as equity.
June 9, 2020
Opening of Borders between Austria and Italy from 16 June
As of next Tuesday, complete freedom of movement will once again apply at the Austrian-Italian border. The decision will be officially announced on Wednesday.
June 9, 2020
Coronavirus in Austria: Live-Ticker (Our live coverage has now concluded)
On this website you can find information and guidance in English from Vindobona.org regarding the current outbreak of the coronavirus pandemie (COVID-19) in Austria. Vindobona.org is being informed by local Austrian and global health authorities to rapidly disseminate information and knowledge on this new virus, and to provide advice to travellers and expats on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak. Please visit this page for daily updates.
April 17, 2020 · Updated: June 9, 2020; 17:35
Austria: No more Border Controls with Neighbouring Countries except Italy
Restrictions on freedom of travel due to the Corona pandemic will be discontinued. The only country for which restrictions remain in place for the time being is Italy. A further evaluation is planned next week.
June 3, 2020
Museums of the City of Vienna Open Again
After eleven weeks of closure, the museums of the City of Vienna have reopened their doors. These include the Kunsthalle Wien, Wien Museum MUSA and Hermesvilla as well as the Architekturzentrum Wien, Kunst Haus Wien, Jewish Museum, Haus der Musik and Mozarthaus Vienna. Only from July onwards will the Beethoven Museum, the Roman Museum, the Virgil Chapel and the Neidhart Festival Hall be open again.
June 1, 2020
Life in Vienna Has Awakened again - The Giant Ferris Wheel Is Turning again
The Giant Ferris Wheel - a symbol for Vienna and tourism - has been turning without interruption since the end of the Second World War and had to be switched off for the first time in over 70 years due to the Corona pandemy. After 80 days, the wheel turns again.
May 31, 2020
Corona Measures: Further Relaxation in Austria - Mandatory Masks Largely Removed from 15 June
From 15 June, the current obligation to protect the mouth and nose will be abolished. What is now permitted and what is not?
May 29, 2020
Austrian Airlines to Resume Flight Operations on 15 June
After an interruption of almost three months, Austrian Airlines will resume flight operations to selected destinations in Europe and Tel Aviv from mid-June onwards. Since no neighbouring seats will be kept empty in case of demand, bold passengers will again be able to fly to up to 40 destinations by the end of June. For specific destinations, see below.
May 28, 2020
A New Start for Tourism in Austria: Opening of Accommodation Facilities with up to 65,000 Corona Tests per Week
Austria now wants to present itself as a particularly safe travel destination and is therefore planning up to 65,000 corona tests per week for tourism businesses from the beginning of July. The aim is to give foreign guests a feeling of security. The Austrian National Tourist Office is also preparing intensive advertising campaigns and will have a budget of 40 million euros for this purpose.
May 26, 2020
Austrian Summer Tourism: Total Dependence on Germany
A recent study shows the great dependence of Austrian summer tourism on Germany, especially in the western federal provinces. The situation, which has been further intensified by the corona pandemic, will further increase this certainty.
May 25, 2020
Investing: Why Your Company Should Establish a Branch in Austria
Every crisis also opens up opportunities e.g. to revise your current strategy and to develop a new one - and time to consider new markets to expand to. Austria stands out in Europe as a highly developed business location and has weathered the crisis well so far.
May 22, 2020
Croatia to Open Its Borders for Austrians
As of 29 May Croatia will open its borders for Austrian, Slovak, Czech and Hungarian citizens, Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli said in a statement. Additionally, the Croatian Ministry of Interior Affairs gave detailed information on requirements for entry in Croatia.
May 22, 2020
Drastic Drop of over 99% in Passengers at Vienna International Airport
The worldwide travel restrictions and flight cancellations resulting from Covid-19 have had a major impact on the development of traffic and earnings AT Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien Group). In April, the Group recorded a decline of 99.6% in the number of passengers and 99.5% at Vienna International Airport. Revenues for Q1/2020 fell by -9.0% to € 161.4 million.
May 20, 2020
COVID-19 Drug Made in Austria
Austrian biotech company Apeiron Biologics AG, which is currently working on a drug to treat the coronavirus, announces financing round for the further development of the COVID-19 drug APN01.
May 19, 2020
Corona Short-time Work in Austria: Funds to be Increased to 12 Billion
Minister of Finance Gernot Blümel announced that the budget for coronavirus short-time work will be increased from ten billion to twelve billion euros.
May 19, 2020
Austria Becomes Self-sufficient in the Supply of Mouth and Nose Masks
Hygiene Austria LP GmbH, founded only 4 weeks ago by a cooperation of Lenzing AG and Palmers Textil AG with the aim of producing and selling protective masks for the domestic and European market, was made known to a wider public today by the visit of Federal Chancellor Kurz and Minister of Labour Christine Aschbacher, and two weeks ago by the visit of Federal Minister Margarete Schramböck.
May 19, 2020
COVID-19: Overview of the Current Measures of the City of Vienna
The coronavirus crisis has had Austria in its grip since mid-March. Now the measures are being gradually eased again. Current information on all measures and restrictions in Vienna. Restaurants, church services, outdoor animal parks, outdoor sports, etc. will be reopened from 15 May, hotels from 29 May.
May 14, 2020
Austria Agrees to ESM Pandemic Crisis Support
The National Council has given its approval for financial aid within the framework of the ESM. Specifically, Finance Minister Blümel was authorized to approve a decision in the ESM Board of Governors to grant corona financial aid to all applicant ESM member states within the framework of the ESM Pandemic Crisis Support.
May 14, 2020
Postcorona Future: American and Austrian Artists Engage in Virtual Dialogues
Austrian diplomatic institutions in the USA have joined forces under the auspices of the Austrian Cultural Forum Washington in order to give artists on both sides of the Atlantic, whose existence is threatened by the Corona crisis, the opportunity of a virtual vernissage "No-Place like the Future", because artists have to be connected with other people, with their artist colleagues and with the world as a whole in order to be themselves.
May 14, 2020
Vienna International Centre Prepares to Return to Work
In the last two months, i.e. since Monday, 16 March, most of the Vienna International Centre staff have been working from home. From Friday, May 15th, the VIC will start the gradual return to "normal operation". A long-awaited step that will take place gradually and carefully, with the health and well-being of everyone at the VIC remaining the top priority.
May 13, 2020
Austria and Germany Agree to Open Borders on 15 June
The gradual opening of the borders between Austria, Germany and Switzerland will begin as early as Friday. From May 15th onwards there will only be spot checks at the borders between Austria and Germany, both countries announced. From 15 June, the borders are to be opened completely. Opening to Italy is not an issue for the time being.
May 13, 2020
City of Vienna Gives Away 40 Million Euros for Gastronomy Consumption
This is how the second wave of the coronavirus will be boosted. After two months of corona lockdown, the gastronomy industry is opening up again this Friday, May 15. In order to boost the new start of coffee houses, pubs and restaurants, the City of Vienna is "giving" the 950,000 Viennese households gastronomy vouchers worth 25 or 50 euros (depending on the size of the household). Mayor Michael Ludwig (of the Social Democratic Party of Austria) declared on Wednesday "Yes, we can afford it!
May 13, 2020
Tax Consultants and Auditors: Corona Aid Fund for Fee Losses Threatening their Existence
The Austrian Chamber of Tax Consultants and Auditors (KSW), which represents 8,000 Austrian tax consultants and auditors, is setting up a 2 million euro aid package.
May 12, 2020
Coronavirus: Vienna Airport Offers Tests to Avoid 14-Day Quarantine in Austria
Coronavirus PCR tests on site at Vienna Airport for € 190 (incl. VAT) - no quarantine necessary if results are negative.
May 11, 2020
Coronavirus in Austria: Live-Ticker (Our live coverage has now concluded)
This live ticker has been terminated. Our live coverage has now concluded.
May 1, 2020
Coronavirus in Europe: Update
European coronavirus infections have passed 1,000,000. The number of deaths has now reached 166,007. According to the WHO World Health Organisation, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is still in Europe, together with the US, where there are now more deaths than in the rest of the world. The number of infected and dead people is still doubling every four days in most European countries. Most of the 32 European countries presented in this study are under a state of emergency with curfews and border controls. There is also a lack of doctors, lung respiratory equipment and hospital beds. Following the situation update for the European Union, EEA, United Kingdom and Switzerland, as of April 21, 2020.
April 21, 2020
Coronavirus Tracing Apps: What is the EC's Position on this?
The European Commission has published a guidance on the development of new apps that support the fight against coronavirus in relation to data protection and intends to ensure full data protection standards of apps fighting the pandemic.
April 20, 2020
Contact Tracing: How Does Infection Chain Tracing Work in Austria?
The debate about the advantages and disadvantages of how COVID-19 risk patients can be quickly located and suspected cases isolated has erupted. The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior now gave an interesting insight into how "contact tracing" has worked in several hundred cases in Upper Austria and Styria.
April 20, 2020
COVID-19: A New Insight into the Number of Unrecorded Cases
Based on new data, the previous spread of the COVID 19 epidemic in Austria was reassessed. This allows new deeper insights into the time development of the number of unreported cases. "We must proceed cautiously in this, because we would not immediately recognize a second wave of infection from the officially confirmed figures, but only after a delay" says Niki Popper, head of the research team.
April 20, 2020
Vienna International Airport: 98 Percent Fewer Passengers
Vienna International Airport (Flughafen Wien AG) is currently registering a decline of 98% in the number of passengers and the workforce is on short-time working. The airport is therefore cancelling the dividend for 2019 and launching a savings programme of over € 220m.
April 17, 2020
Austrian Airlines Extends Short-Time Work and Temporary Cessation of Flight Operations
Due to the global developments in connection with the Coronavirus and the continuing restrictions on travel, Austrian Airlines is extending the short-time working model for its 7,000 employees by a further month until May 19, 2020. Also, Austrian Airlines prolongs the cessation of its regular scheduled flight operations for an additional two weeks until May 17, 2020.
April 17, 2020
Chancellor Kurz: ''As much freedom as possible, as much restriction as necessary"
First step towards new normality: Small shops were opened in Austria. Curfews still apply.
April 14, 2020
Review of the Austrian Repatriation and Emergency Flights Programme
A total of more than 7,500 persons were brought back safely to Austria in 39 flights organised by the Foreign Ministry.
April 13, 2020
Self-Sufficiency in COVID-19 Mask Production
A first step towards Austrian self-sufficiency in mask production for medical protective equipment was taken. In future, it should be possible to produce up to 500,000 corona protective masks of the "Made in Austria" brand every day.
April 8, 2020
In an Age of Global Disasters: What is the Task of the Incident and Emergency Centre?
The coronavirus pandemic has probably made it clear to everyone that people and countries should protect themselves better against unforeseeable or potentially fatal dangers, be they virus pandemics or nuclear and radiological incidents and emergencies, regardless of whether they arise from accident, negligence or deliberate act. The Incident and Emergency Centre in Vienna as part of the IAEA is the global focal point for international emergency preparedness, communication and response to precisely such incidents and emergencies.
April 8, 2020
IAEA: Rapid Detection of Coronavirus through Nuclear-Derived Technique
The Vienna based IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency is dispatching a first batch of equipment to more than 40 countries to enable them to use a nuclear-derived technique to rapidly detect the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
April 6, 2020
Tyrol Lifts Coronavirus-Quarantine
Tyrol is still under massive criticism and threat of a class action lawsuit from Germany and some Scandinavian countries because the authorities in the Tyrolean ski resort of Ischgl took quarantine measures very late, although warnings from these countries had already been issued. Today Tyrol's Governor Günther Platter announced during a video press conference that Tyrol would end its self-isolation.
April 6, 2020
Austria to Ease Anti-Corona Measures from Mid-April
The drastic Austrian measures in the fight against the coronavirus are to be gradually eased after Easter.
April 6, 2020
Further Coronavirus Measure: Police Officers in Austria Only in Protective Masks
From now on, police officers in Austria will only perform official acts with protective masks.
April 2, 2020
Explosive Corona Papers: Tens of Thousands of Additional Deaths in Austria
An internal study prepared for the government by a commission of experts on the COVID19 crisis shows a gloomy forecast for Austria. The paper states that under the realistic assumption of a replication factor of 1.7 (i.e. 1 person infects 1.7 people), the Austrian health system will collapse. If it is not possible to push the replication factor below the value of 1, tens of thousands of additional deaths and a collapse of the health care system can be expected in Austria by mid-April.
April 1, 2020
Vienna International Centre: Meanwhile Nine COVID-19 Cases Among VIC Personnel
The VIC Medical Service reports, that there are three more confirmed cases of COVID-19 involving VIC personnel. Still, all employees of the organizations located at the VIC are to work from their home offices. Update: As of March, 31, the cumulative total of COVID-19 among VIC personnel is 10 cases. Update: As of Tuesday, March 31, the cumulative total of COVID-19 among VIC personnel is 10 cases.
March 30, 2020 · Updated: March 31, 2020; 22:30
The US Perspective on the Coronavirus Situation in Austria
With 160.00 COVID-19 infected, the United States already took over the sad lead of the list of countries with the most infected. With almost 3,000 deaths, the USA is still in fifth place. But what is the official standpoint of the USA or the State Department towards Austria and what stay-related actions are recommended to US citizens in Austria?
March 30, 2020
German Embassy Vienna: Unusual Repatriation of 300 Germans from Tyrolean Ski Resorts
In an unusual repatriation operation, the German Embassy in Vienna has enabled more than 300 Germans to return home from Austrian quarantine areas.
March 30, 2020
State Authority: Austria Under Police Control?
The Federal Ministry of the Interior is stepping up its police presence to ensure that the government's guidelines are enforced. So far, 10,426 coronavirus criminal charges have been filed throughout Austria. Is this approach too strict?
March 30, 2020
Austrian Government Extends Measures: Masks Partially Obligatory
At a press conference today, the government presented further measures to contain the coronavirus.
March 30, 2020
Federal Chancellor: "The situation is still serious"
Austrian government presents details of the aid package designed to save jobs and businesses.
March 26, 2020
UN Secretary General: "COVID-19 Threatens All Humanity"
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres launches a worldwide UN emergency appeal for help to combat the pathogen of the lung disease Covid-19 in the poorest countries of the world. The war chest is to be filled with two billion US-dollars by the end of the year.
March 26, 2020
Already Six Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in the VIC Community
While 4750 of the approximately 5000 international diplomats, scientists and support staff working at the VIC (UN in Vienna/UNODC, IAEA, UNIDO and CTBTO PrepCom) still have to work from home, it has been revealed that a total of six employees have now been infected with coronavirus.
March 26, 2020
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