Since Wednesday, the Austrian Armed Forces have been checking the stricter entry regulations at Innsbruck Airport on behalf of the health authorities. Recently there was criticism that in Tyrol - in comparison with other federal states - the documents were checked rather loosely.
The Ministry of Defense announced that since Wednesday, soldiers of the Federal Army have been checking travelers' documents in accordance with the tightened entry regulations. The so-called 2G rule currently applies, whereby people without a booster vaccination require an additional negative PCR test. If necessary, this can be made up for in Austria within 24 hours, in which case the pre-travel clearance must be completed. Those who have come from virus variant areas also need a negative PCR test in order to avoid the quarantine.
In general, the number of soldiers deployed in Tyrol will be increased to 78. They also support the health authorities in the areas of contact follow-up. The Ministry of Defense explains that Innsbruck Airport should now be completely checked.
“The Federal Army takes its task in fighting pandemics very seriously and therefore always provides support where it is urgently needed. We want to use our reinforcement forces to help ensure that the critical infrastructure in Tyrol, which is endangered by the Omikron virus, is maintained. This rapid deployment shows once again how much we can count on our soldiers, ”said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP).