In Austria, all Corona measures will be phased out. This was decided by the government on Wednesday. On April 30, the now still prevailing mask obligation in hospitals and nursing homes is to expire. By June 30, all special provisions are to end, it said Wednesday. Sars-CoV-2 would then no longer be a notifiable disease. Also the restrictions for positively tested humans would not exist then any longer.

Currently, infected people do not have to be placed in home isolation, but are required to wear an FFP2 mask indoors and also outdoors when in close contact with others. All Corona crisis staffs and committees would be disbanded, it said.

As early as mid-January, Austrian Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Green Party) had spoken of wanting to abolish all Corona laws. On Wednesday, Rauch said, "The pandemic is going, the virus is staying, and we will be able to deal with it."

With the current decision, Rauch sees a "historic decision." He said the transition will be "managed in an orderly fashion." The basis for the decision is science, he said. He referred to experts who did not expect a renewed, significant aggravation of the Covid situation and thus an overload of the health care system.

The minister sees Austria well prepared: "The development of the past months allows an end to the crisis measures." He pointed to immunity in the population. Three quarters of the population are vaccinated, he said. Vaccination, testing and medication should remain free of charge, according to Rauch.

Image by Fernando Zhiminaicela