The city of Vienna was the last state to announce the end of the corona mask obligation in public transport on Wednesday. It is known that a new wave of infections is currently being controlled, but with the end of the measures at the end of February, they still want to use a certain braking effect, explains Health Councilor Peter Hacker (SPÖ).
Mandatory wearing of an FFP2 mask on public transport, in old people’s and nursing homes or when visiting doctors and hospitals was not about harassing people, as Hacker emphasized in the ORF “ZiB2”. Rather, it was about protecting vulnerable groups who run a greater risk of infection.
“Many people can’t choose their way of working”
He also does not share the assessment that the face mask forms a major burden on public transport, for example. “But many people can’t choose their way to work or to the doctor,” he explained again why a mask must be worn in certain areas – after all, these are not leisure situations, said the alderman for health.
It makes perfect sense to “stick to the rules of the game and consistency”, but the Vienna special path is now being terminated “in line with the minister’s measures”. However, without losing sight of the fact that we are still in a pandemic and are also facing a wave of infections.
“Of course we made mistakes”
The peak of this is probably expected in March, Hacker continues. The mask obligation until the end of February therefore also serves to “brake down” this wave and therefore not let the figures shoot up. That “everyone is happy that the measures are ending” is not a contradiction, says Hacker.
However, Vienna is a city of two million people – “we live in a very dense area” – Hacker also justifies the city’s stricter approach to contain the virus. “Of course we made mistakes – no one can claim to be flawless,” he also clarified. However, he doesn’t know what to apologize for – after all, he makes health policies to protect people: “Careful is better than risky.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
