Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) assured Friday that the current corona test regime must be maintained in any case for the coming months. This means that there are still five free PCR tests per month. Viennese city councilor for health Peter Hacker (SPÖ) was promptly skeptical whether that would be enough.
“It will remain that way,” Rauch emphasized in a joint press conference with Hacker as part of the social workers’ conference. Austria sets an example internationally with this test strategy.
Hackers: Numbers will “pop up”
“We don’t agree 100 percent on that, it’s no secret,” Hacker said. Vienna had expressed in vain the wish that the gargle test system introduced in the city should remain available to the population free of charge and without restrictions. He is sure that this will be discussed again in the autumn, according to the city council. Because it is to be expected that the numbers will “click”.
BA.4 and BA.5 vaccine update soon too
There was agreement on vaccination: Rauch and Hacker emphasized the importance of the refresher course. The vaccine effective against the ommicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 should also be available in the foreseeable future. Rauch expects a arrival in the coming weeks.
Hacker pointed out that the first vaccinations with the drug, which is tailored to an omicron variant, have been carried out in Vienna since Friday. These are the Biontech/Pfizer and Moderna vaccines targeting the omicron subvariant BA.1. Those who want to be vaccinated can choose whether they want to receive the Omikron vaccines at the vaccination centers in Vienna.
Source: Krone
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