Just before the ski season
Lockdown imposed: what Austria vacationers need to know now
Strict rules apply on the slopes. Unvaccinated people no longer come up there.
© Expa / Johann Groder / APA / DPA
Austria will go into lockdown next Monday. Now, of all times, when the ski season is slowly starting. What travelers need to know now.
New nationwide lockdown for everyone and the introduction of mandatory vaccinations: Austria is taking drastic measures in the fight against the new corona wave. The lockdown will apply from Monday and also for those who have been vaccinated, announced Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg on Friday after consultations with the federal states. In addition, every Austrian must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by February 1 – otherwise fines are threatened. “This decision is not easy for us,” said Schallenberg after the consultations with the heads of government of the federal states in Tyrol. “But in view of the infection rate, we have to take such measures.”
Austria is the first country in Europe to take such tough measures. The lockdown should last a maximum of 20 days, after ten days the effectiveness will be checked and a decision on how to proceed, said Schallenberg. A comprehensive curfew will apply from Monday, Austrians are only allowed to leave the house for urgent reasons such as visiting the doctor and work. Such a rule had already been introduced for unvaccinated people at the beginning of this week, and from Monday it will also apply to vaccinated people. Retail, gastronomy and culture must fundamentally close, only suppliers of goods for daily needs such as supermarkets or pharmacies are allowed to remain open. Schools and kindergartens should also remain open “in principle”, announced Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens). However, there should be no compulsory attendance in schools.
15 percent of the Austrian economy depends on tourism
In the tourism industry, which has been badly affected, the imminent lockdown is seen as painful but necessary. The measure hit the division at the start of the ski season “unchecked and in full force,” said industry representative Robert Seeber from the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) on Friday. “However, given the threat of overloading the health system and saving the winter season, it is unavoidable,” he added. The government did not immediately announce the rules for the ski resorts. Based on the experience of past lockdowns, it is expected that hotels will only be open to business travel. Details of the Austrian tourism portal according to tourist trips to Austria will only be possible again after the end of the lockdown for everyone after December 13th.
According to Finance Minister Gernot Blümel, around 15 percent of Austria’s economic output depends on tourism, with skiing on the slopes and city trips playing a major role in winter. Every second winter sports holiday in Europe is booked in Austria. “So I hope that with the measures that have now been announced, at least part of the season can take place.” Blümel wants to cushion the lockdown with the extension of state compensation for sales losses in the economy amounting to hundreds of millions of euros per month.
But even if tourism should start up again in good time before the Christmas holidays, hotel operators see the situation rather bleak. The complete escalation of the corona crisis in Austria casts a bad light on the country, said Susanne Kraus-Winkler from the hotel industry in the Chamber of Commerce. After all, the guests came not only because of the beautiful landscape, but also because of the feeling of security. The classic Christmas vacation was probably over. At most, a few regular guests can be expected. The industry is now set to take off in the second half of the season from mid-January.
So far, 2G has applied on the slopes
The most recent German travel warning for Austria had already led to a wave of cancellations. In the winter season almost 37 percent of all overnight stays were spent by German tourists. However, Kraus-Winkler does not expect the hotel to die. The government will at least partially cushion the loss of sales.
The country had already prepared for the ski season weeks ago. Unvaccinated people are therefore not allowed on the slopes, in restaurants, hotels and in the cable cars, the 2G regulation applies. That Austrian tourism portal has summarized the previously applicable measures as follows:
- For those who have been vaccinated or recovered, there is no mask requirement in the cable cars.
- 2G This also applies to the accommodation, i.e. only those who have recovered or have been vaccinated can also be accommodated in a hut, hotel or other accommodation.
- In museums and in retail there is one FFP2 mask requirement.
- Unvaccinated to have no entry more. A test, regardless of whether it is one Antibody or PCR test acts, will not more for entry accepted.
- Vaccinated need theirs Prove status can. From December 6th, full immunization must not be more than nine months ago. After that, it needs a refresher. The one-time vaccination with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will only be recognized until January 3, 2022.
- Anyone who has only been vaccinated so far must also submit a negative PCR test by December 6th.
- Children under the age of 12 do not need to provide evidence.
- A solution is still being sought for young people between the ages of 12 and 15.
Lockdown “most reliable means” against the fourth wave
Like many European countries, Austria is currently fighting a violent corona wave with new highs in new infections. On Friday, the record number of 15,809 infections was reported within 24 hours. The threshold of one million confirmed infections since the start of the pandemic was exceeded on Thursday in the country with a total of around 8.9 million inhabitants. The Austria-wide seven-day incidence is 1033 – Germany for comparison reported a nationwide incidence of 340 on Friday. The vaccination rate in Austria is just under 66 percent and is thus below the EU average.
The new lockdown is “the most reliable instrument to break the fourth wave,” said Mückstein. According to the resolutions, this should “automatically” end on December 13th. From this day on, everything should be allowed to open again. This would be just in time for the winter ski season, which is particularly important for many Austrian hoteliers and restaurateurs and which the government has been promising to save for months. The lockdown for the unvaccinated is expected to last through December 13th.