Austria will shortly create the possibility of being able to “free yourself” from quarantine five days after entering the country. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) announced that the “full ten days plus test must be complied with”.

The number of exceptions should also be reduced. This primarily affects commuters, because in future they will have to present a negative test result once a week. This can be either antigen or PCR testing. “In the future, commuters will also have to register,” says Nehammer. “The permanent controls at the borders with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia remain in place. The situation is particularly tense in the Czech Republic ”.

According to the government member, around three million controls have been carried out since December 19, 2020. Around 200.000 people were quarantined as a result. "The federal states are increasingly demanding support from the police in checking whether the quarantine is being adhered to," explains Nehammer, who also holds out the prospect of increased penalties for disregarding the federal government's corona measures.

“Everyone who enters has to show a negative test and then go into quarantine for ten days. Special professional groups such as commuters and commuters have to present a negative test result, which must not be older than 48 hours, ”explains Interior Minister Nehammer.

Interior Minister Nehammer did not announce further details and in particular when Rudolf Anschober (Greens) the adapted entry regulation will come into force. In the past it has happened repeatedly that the text of the regulation deviated significantly from the announcements of the members of the government. It is therefore extremely advisable for travelers and commuters to familiarize themselves intensively with the ordinance as soon as it is published in the Federal Law Gazette.

Ski areas should be controlled more closely

Since the situation in the ski areas has repeatedly come under international criticism, the interior minister now wants to "carry out special checks so that the images of the last few weeks are not repeated". As before, the health authorities and the police should work together. The operators of the lifts should primarily ensure that they keep their distance and wear the masks. At the entrance, the police should ensure that there are no traffic jams at the valley stations of the cable cars.