Austrian Government to loosening measures
The Austrian Government on Monday said it would begin reviewing strict measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak after the Easter.
Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz, said that small shops, construction and gardening stores would be allowed to re-open if they uphold strict hygiene standards from April 14.
On May 1, all shops, malls and hairdressers would also be allowed to re-open, while hotels and restaurants would be closed at least until middle of May.
However, restrictions of movement would remain in place until the end of April, while schools would be closed until middle of May.
“The rapid and restrictive reaction now gives us the opportunity to come out of the crisis more quickly.
“But only if we continue to follow the measures and remain as united as we have been,’’ Kurz said.
Meanwhile, the Austrian Government had tripled the amount of money available to companies instituting short-time work policies in an effort to reduce their financial burden during the coronavirus crisis.
Short-time work is the temporary reduction of working hours with a corresponding reduction in pay.
The loss in remuneration for the employees is partially compensated by the government.
Finance Minister, Gernot Bluemel, and Labour Minister, Christine Aschbacher, said the amount of money available would be increased to about three billion euros ($3.2 billion).
Coronavirus-related short-time work has saved some 400,000 jobs in Austria.
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So far, about 23,000 applications had been submitted as of Friday.
Austria currently has about 12,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, with more than 200 deaths as a result of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus.
