Austria could start easing its coronavirus lockdown measures from next week, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says, but warns that this depended on citizens abiding by social distancing rules.
“The aim is that from April 14… smaller shops up to a size of 400 square meters, as well as hardware and garden stores can open again, under strict security conditions of course,” Kurz said at a press conference.
He adds that if the government’s timetable goes to plan, larger shops will reopen on May 1.
From mid-May hotels, restaurants and other services could also start to open their doors again in stages, Kurz said, adding that a decision on this would be made at the end of April.
A member of the medical staff measures the temperature of a traveler at a autobahn park place near Gries am Brenner, Austrian province of Tyrol, at border crossing with Italy on March 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson )
Schools will remain closed until at least mid-May and public events will remain banned until the end of June.
If trends in infection begin to worsen again, the government “always has the possibility to hit the emergency brake” and re-introduce restrictions, Kurz says.
— AFP
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 6, 2020
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
