Vienna: Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has announced that a second lockdown will come into force in the country starting from Tuesday until the end of this month, in an effort to contain the Covid-19 pandemic from further spreading.
“You know we are seeing an intense second wave all over Europe,” Xinhua news agency quoted Kurz as saying at a press conference on Saturday, adding that some neighbouring countries were already under a second lockdown.
With an almost “explosive increase” of new cases in Austria in the last week, there must be “hard measures”, he said. Kurz emphasized that it was a matter of reducing contacts, as “most of the infections take place with people who know and like each other”.
Starting from Tuesday, exit restrictions will apply between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., during which leaving home is only permitted for specific reasons such as going to work. Kurz said that these restrictions were tantamount to a “visit ban” — people were no longer allowed to be visited in the evening.
Under the new lockdown, theatres, museums and leisure facilities such as swimming pools or fitness studios will remain closed, while the catering industry can only offer pick-up and delivery services, and hotels are prohibited from accepting tourists.
In the education sector, high school and universities will switch to distance learning, while kindergartens and compulsory schools remain open.
This time, in contrast to the first lockdown, retail escapes a closure, but social distancing must be properly implemented. Ten square metres must be available for each customer. If the shop is smaller, only one person will be allowed in at once.
Austria reported 5,349 new Covid-19 on Saturday, taking the country’s overall infection tally to 104,925, according to data published by the Interior Ministry. The death toll stood at 1,109, while 1,867 people are in hospitals for coronavirus treatment, including 265 in intensive care units.
By IANS
Image: Xinhua
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