The Coronavirus in Austria & Vienna | EU to Open Borders to 14 Overseas Nations – US, Russia, Brazil Not Included

 

The coronavirus has arrived in Austria. Here’s all you need to know about current measures, including where to get help, information and tips – updated regularly.

After the Austrian government took increasingly drastic measures in March to contain the coronavirus, the country successfully flattened the curve in April, and gradually reopened shops, schools and restaurants again in May.

Now, public life in Austria is slowly getting back to something like normality – with new rules for behavior and hygiene.

Here is a wrap-up of the measures currently in place in Austria, as they were announced, and information about the situation in general.

 

June 30, 2020:

  • The European Union formally agreed on opening the external borders of the EU to several countries outside the European economic area and travel zone.
    • Travelers from these countries are free to travel to Europe: Japan, South Korea, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Rwanda, Serbia, Montenegro, Georgia, Uruguay, Thailand, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.
    • Travelers from Russia, Brazil and the US are banned from entering the EU due to high numbers of active coronavirus cases and new infections.

 

  • The director of the Complexity Science Hub (CSH) Vienna warned of a potential second wave of coronavirus cases in Austria. The CSH developed a “traffic light” corona warning systems, both for Austria and the world, based on recent test results.
    • In recent days, several Austrian districts (Bezirke) switched from green light (less than 1.0 positively tested cases per 10,000 people in the last 14 days) to yellow light (between 1 and 10 positively tested cases per 10,000 inhabitants).
    • The newly yellow Austrian districts are in Upper Austria (Linz, Wels and surroundings) as well as in Lower Austria (St. Pölten and Neunkirchen). Vienna stays yellow, as it has for weeks now.
    • Several other countries in Europe that had the virus well under control or never had many cases have also recently seen an uptick in new cases – for example Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and, to a lesser extent, also Poland, Czechia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Slovakia.
    • Complexity researcher Stefan Thurner (CSH) pointed out the renewed “regional spread” in some Austrian regions and cautioned not to travel to countries with a red light. Personally, Thurner said he would also avoid traveling to countries with yellow light at the moment.

 

coronavirus europe warning system
  • Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) declared that the number of newly tested positive coronavirus cases in Austria on Tuesday, June 30, was back down to 48 new cases. The number of active infections fell under 600. Vigilance and keeping the distance rule is still highly recommended.