Probably no longer a problem – Rauch: “Closing schools was a mistake”

Like Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) a day earlier, Rauch also stated on Friday that ‘undoubtedly’ mistakes have been made during the pandemic, but that they have always acted in accordance with the state of knowledge at the time. Some issues would likely be addressed differently in the future, he said.

“Looking back, I think it was a mistake.”
He is critical of, for example, the closure of schools. “Looking back, knowing what I know today, I think it was hard not to say it was a mistake,” Rauch said. Children and young people from socially disadvantaged families in particular would find it difficult to make up for this time.

The “complete isolation” of elderly people in nursing homes is unlikely to happen in the same way in the future, he said. However, at the time the assessment of the measures was the same. We now also know that we have to communicate very precisely. “After that you will know everything better.”

Rauch accuses the FPÖ of “false information”.
He will not apologize for his actions at the time. Critics like the FPÖ, who spread false information, should do this. Today, there are still libertarians who believe that the Minister of Health is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands because the vaccination was promoted, Rauch criticized. That is “completely absurd”.

Rauch also referred to the planned epidemic law. Although this will not be examined this year as planned, it is already in his office as a draft. This still needs to be coordinated with coalition partner ÖVP, after which it will be assessed.

The Chancellor admitted mistakes
The minister was not present at the presentation of the social science research by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), because he had to be present in the Federal Council. In his statement on Thursday, Chancellor Nehammer also said that mistakes had been made.