US President Joe Biden understood, and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) also showed “typical symptoms”. Coronavirus infections have increased in recent days. This is also reflected in the SARI dashboard, which provides information on hospital admissions with respiratory diseases in Austria. The number of people infected with flu and RSV has also increased slightly.
Experts currently see no cause for major concern. The level of CoV infection is controllable. Complexity researcher Peter Klimek blamed new CoV variants primarily for the outbreak. For virologist Andreas Bergthaler, from the Medical University of Vienna, the situation is also not surprising. The number of infections is rising, as it has been every autumn so far – and this is made worse by the start of classes in early September.
Test at the doctor’s office – or for a fee
Since July 1st, there are no longer any measures in place in this country to contain the coronavirus. Basically, this means that Covid-19 should be treated like any other non-notifiable infectious disease: pay attention to the symptoms, go to the doctor, and if the worst happens, stay home. However, experts still recommend wearing a mask if you find yourself in situations where viruses are transmitted quickly, such as in close contact.
However, if numbers continue to rise, more tests could be used again, for example in high-risk situations. However, as things currently stand, nothing is planned. It is still possible to get tested for infection. Unlike recent months, however, there are no more offers nationwide. When coronavirus measures expired at the beginning of July this year, the publicly funded testing system also ended. You can get coronavirus tests for a fee at pharmacies.
As with other diseases, private doctors are now primarily responsible when the first symptoms appear. You decide whether an antigen test or a PCR test is really necessary. If necessary, doctors can give the patient a prescription for coronavirus medication. According to the Ministry of Health, this medicine can then be obtained free of charge at a public pharmacy.
Adapted and available vaccine
A lot has also changed when it comes to vaccination. Long vaccination routes no longer exist, the National Vaccination Committee issued new vaccination recommendations at the end of August and the vaccine was adapted to the dominant Omicron XBB.1.5 variant – more about this at noe.ORF.at. The vaccine from Mainz manufacturer Biontech and its North American partner Pfizer was recently approved by the EU. More adapted vaccines are expected in the autumn, for example from the US company Moderna.
Regardless of how often you have had contact with the coronavirus or been vaccinated, a single vaccination with a vaccine adapted to the XBB variants is recommended for people over 12 years of age. In special situations, for example, if the immune system is seriously weakened, more than one vaccination may be necessary, according to the Ministry of Health’s vaccination website – more about this at science.ORF.at.
CoV: Hope for “broad immunity”
The number of coronavirus infections is rising again. However, experts are counting on the immunization of the population and the latest vaccines in doctors’ offices.
Vaccination is now offered mainly in private practices. The ministry references various lists of doctors from the respective federal states on the vaccination website. They should administer the adapted coronavirus vaccine. In Vienna, vaccination appointments are not only rare, but the list of doctors also appears out of date. Only a “small contingent” is available in the city’s vaccination service – more about this at wien.ORF.at.
Austria-wide flu vaccination program
In addition to vaccination against coronavirus, vaccination against influenza is recommended. For the first time, there will be a public flu vaccination program throughout Austria for the next flu season. Vaccination will be offered significantly cheaper to everyone over 18 years of age; The only prescription fee to pay is the prescription fee of 6.85 euros, federal, state and social security authorities decided last year. The completely free flu vaccination program for children and people in nursing homes and nursing homes must remain in place.
In 2022/23, MedUni Vienna recorded the highest number of infections since the introduction of influenza surveillance in 1999/2000. The death toll was also high, around 4,000, according to the annual AGES estimate. Among the dead were several children who, as well as pregnant women and the elderly, belong to the flu risk group. “Some of these deaths could probably have been prevented through timely flu vaccination,” emphasized virologist Monika Redlberger-Fritz.
The problem is that the flu vaccination rate in Austria is too low. That was up from just 13.62 percent last season. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the rate hovered below ten percent. With the vaccination campaigns in 2020/21 it rose to 22.13 percent, but in the following season it fell again to 16.87 percent and, more recently, another three percentage points.