As of: 19.03.2020
By decree of the competent Federal Minister, Federal Law Gazette II No 15/2020, suspected cases, illnesses and deaths of 2019-nCoV ("2019 novel coronavirus") are also classified as infectious diseases under the Austrian Epidemics Act. This allows the Austrian authorities to take the following precautions to combat the spread of COVID-19 in particular the precautions set out below for the duration of the risk of infection.
For each (suspected) case of COVID-19, the competent health authorities must initiate the surveys and investigations necessary to determine the disease and the source of infection. This includes, among other things, the management of personal contacts (§ 5 leg cit). To ensure a uniform approach to these surveys and investigations throughout Austria, the competent Federal Minister has issued two decrees.
a) Decree No. 2020-0.138290 aiming at determining the responsibilities under the Epidemics Act 1950 (Enclosure 1) and the official procedure for SARS-CoV-2 contact persons (Enclosure 2):
b) Decree No. 2020-0.143.421 aiming at a uniform approach to the management of personal contacts:
The essential precautions for preventing the further spread of infectious diseases set out in the Epidemics Act 1950 are briefly described below. In addition, the specific precautions to combat the spread of COVID-19 on the basis of §§ 7 ff of the Epidemics Act 1950 are presented in an overview.
1.
Quarantine of sick individuals - § 7
Measures taken so far
2.
Disinfection (of objects and rooms which are suspected of being contaminated with germs of an infectious disease) - § 8
3.
Exclusion of individual persons from educational institutions - § 9
4.
Blocking of apartments, ban on funeral ceremonies - § 12
5.
Measures against the gathering of large crowds of people - § 15
With the above internal administrative instruction (Erlass), the Federal Minister of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection instructed the competent local administrative authorities (health authorities) to prohibit, by decree, all events in their area of activity which involve the gathering of large crowds of people, namely more than 500 persons outside closed rooms or in the open air or more than 100 persons in a closed room. This applies, for example, to events which are to be held in companies, businesses, schools (e.g. school trips), in higher education establishments, pre-school facilities, nursing homes, for religious purposes or in tourist facilities and places of interest.
The prohibition does not include, inter alia, meetings of general representative bodies (National Council, Federal Council, provincial parliaments, etc.), of the organs of territorial authorities under public law, within the framework of public administration, organs of the public security service, the armed forces, rescue organisations and the fire brigade, in establishments for the maintenance of health care, in connection with the satisfaction of the basic needs of public life (food retail, shopping centres, catering establishments mainly authorised to serve food, etc.), in accordance with obligations under international law, the work activity in companies, work meetings and public transport, as well as the facilities and installations directly belonging to the company.
Corresponding ordinances have been or are currently being issued by the enforcement authorities. Example: City of Vienna:
6.
Specific notification requirements - § 16/ monitoring of certain persons - § 17
Measures taken so far
7.
Closure of educational facilities - § 18
With the above internal administrative instruction (Erlass), the Federal Minister of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection instructed the competent local administrative authorities (health authorities) to order, by decree, that, in accordance with Section 18 of the Federal Epidemic Act 1950 (Epidemiegesetz 1950), restrictions must be imposed on the operation of kindergartens and day care centres: From 18 March 2020 until the beginning of the Easter holidays (3 April 2020), kindergartens will remain open, but as many children as possible are to be looked after at home (however, care services will not be completely discontinued).
This decree has meanwhile been implemented in the individual regions of Austria.
8.
Operating restrictions or closure of commercial operations - § 20
Measures taken so far
9.
Traffic restrictions for residents of certain municipalities - § 24
In the meantime, the authorities have also imposed access and departure restrictions on the inhabitants of the following villages:
10.
Restrictions on transport to foreign countries - § 25
Measures taken so far
11.
Provisions relating to domestic transport establishments - § 26
12.
Epidemic doctors (appointment for the duration of the need) - § 27
13.
Measures regarding pathogens - § 28
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