Regulations in detail – take a deep breath: who needs to wear a mask now

The new regulation of the Ministry of Health has been in effect since midnight. Instead of the previously applicable isolation (quarantine) of corona-infected people, it provides for traffic restrictions.

What you need to know now:

Do I have to stay in quarantine? More than 100,000 people are currently considered positive in Austria. The quarantine ended for her at midnight. If they have no symptoms, they can leave their own four walls.

Mask Requirement: Anyone who has tested positive and has no symptoms can in principle participate in social life if an FFP2 mask is worn. The obligation to wear a mask at all times exists outside the private living area in all enclosed areas if physical contact with other persons cannot be excluded. If the minimum distance of two meters from other people outdoors cannot be maintained, a mask is also part of the basic equipment. This of course includes all the shops, the workshop and bars. In public transport or when carpooling, the FFP2 mask must continue to be worn over the mouth and nose. If you want to celebrate it in your own four walls or in the garden, you should decree for yourself the motto “masked ball”. Otherwise, problems will arise.

In principle there may be regional differences, especially in hospitals, retirement and nursing homes and public transport.

An absolute ban on entry applies here: Those who have tested positive are not allowed to enter retirement and nursing homes, health facilities, kindergartens and primary schools, and other shelters for children under the age of eleven.

Sick leave: Here too there are innovations. If you tested positive for the coronavirus so far, you would have received a special notification that automatically sent you on sick leave. Now you have to get active yourself. A sick report by telephone is now only available for corona positive.

Going to work: In principle, disabled persons are allowed to work if the conditions are met. Companies can create their own specifications here (see below).

Here’s how domestic companies deal with the new rules:

AMAG – Austria Metall AG (Upper Austria)
CEO Gerald Mayer considers the situation at the Ranshofen-based aluminum manufacturer “very pragmatic”. There are prevention concepts and distance rules. In addition: “If someone has symptoms and is positive, sick leave. Positive and without symptoms: Office workers should work from home. If he is a laborer, where he only drives a crane or a forklift, then it is no problem if this person is positive and symptom free – then he is welcome to come in.” Mayer sees the situation critically only in locations where there are groups that need to work very closely together, and according to the CEO, people there will remain more cautious in the future.

Wiener Linien (Vienna)
Customer contact is part of Wiener Linien’s daily bread, but the protection of employees always comes first. According to press spokeswoman Andrea Zefferer, it is crucial that employees who feel sick stay at home even if they have weak symptoms. Because: “Mental and physical fitness are especially important in driving service.” If you have no symptoms, but are positive, then a distinction is made. For example, in the case of bus drivers, physical separation of passengers is not possible, so they are free. The situation is different for metro and tram drivers: since they travel in closed cabins, work is possible. Home office is also intensively used by the carrier.

Austrian power grid (Austria-wide)
APG’s 700 experts work around the clock in a particularly sensitive area. The country’s power supply is the top priority, but the health of all workers is just as important, they say. For this, the maximum standards are set at the headquarters in Vienna and in the substations. The home office is also used intensively as quickly as possible. If there is a positive test (without symptoms), an order for the home office applies from today – the same goes for contacts. In-house contact tracing is also offered. Access is only possible with 3G and special rules for operation and maintenance (team splitting) remain in effect. Larger clusters have therefore not occurred (until now).

Siemens AG (Austria)
Industry giant Siemens employs nearly 8,900 people at numerous locations across Germany. For these, especially for the vulnerable groups, you have a “comprehensive duty of care”, says spokeswoman Johanna Bürger. Since the start of the pandemic, efforts have therefore been made to avoid sources of contamination in the company as much as possible. It has therefore been decided not to relax the existing government regulations. Positive tested persons and contacts should work from home if possible. Those who cannot do this (e.g. workers in workshops) adhere to specific protective measures. Many employees also voluntarily wear FFP2 masks.