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Digital Desk, Vienna. Austria has announced plans to lift most of its COVID-19 restrictions from March 5, despite high infection numbers in recent days. The Austrian government had already eased coronavirus restrictions earlier this month, Xinhua news agency reported, adding that the situation in the country’s hospitals has stabilized as the Omicron variant is relatively less lethal.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehmer told a news conference on Wednesday that entry requirements such as vaccination, recovery from the virus or a negative test result, as well as other restrictions, would be eliminated as of March 5.
An early closing rule for restaurants and bars will also be lifted, and nightclubs will be allowed to reopen. However, wearing masks will remain mandatory in high-risk areas such as hospitals and nursing homes. “We have not yet recovered from the pandemic, but the situation is improving,” Nehmer told Austrian broadcaster ORF.
Daily infections in Austria have hovered around 30,000 in recent weeks. However, despite the easing of restrictions, Austrian health officials said on Wednesday they would keep a vaccine mandate introduced in early February. Health Minister Wolfgang Mueckstein said that vaccination is our way out of the pandemic.
(IANS)
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