• A minimum distance of 1 meter must be observed at the place of work unless the risk of infection can be minimized by taking suitable protective measures.

• If the minimum distance cannot be maintained due to the specific nature of the occupational activity, other suitable protective measures must be taken to minimise the risk of infection.

• The requirement to wear nose-mouth protection is only permitted by mutual agreement between the employer and employee.

Measures for Risk Groups:

Persons with previous illnesses receive special protection at their workplace:

• Risk patients receive a letter from their social insurance agency which they can take to their doctor.
• On the basis of a checklist, the doctor produces a certificate which the employee gives to his employer in order to receive protection.
• The employee has three options:
  • He can himself arrange safety at work, for instance a larger room or a specific work environment to minimise the risk of infection.
  • If this is not possible, working from home should be considered.
  • If this is also not possible, the employee should be released from employment; the costs of the refinancing are borne at federal level.

A visit to the doctor is not obligatory, nevertheless persons with previous illnesses have a right to special protection.

Safe travel by public transport requires clear rules, therefore the following applies to passengers:

• The minimum distance of 1 meter must also be observed in public transport and in the stations and waiting areas. An exception can be made to this rule when the distance of at least one meter is not possible due to the number of passengers and when boarding and alighting from vehicles.
• Wearing nose-mouth protection for the entire journey

• When entering customer areas, people who do not live in the same household must keep a distance of at least one meter from each other. This also applies to outdoor markets.
• When entering the customer area in enclosed spaces of
  • public pharmacies,
  • food retail businesses (including sales outlets of food producers and filling stations with sales outlets),
  • banks and
  • the post office, including post office partners,
    nose-mouth protection must additionally be worn.
• The operators of these businesses and their employees must wear nose-mouth protection when in contact with customers, unless another suitable form of protection for spatial separation between the individuals concerned is available.
• If the nature of the service means that the minimum distance of 1 metre between customer and service provider cannot be kept, the infection risk must be minimised by taking appropriate safety measures.

• Nose-mouth protection must be worn when visiting care homes, hospitals and health spas as well as places providing health and care services, but only when in enclosed spaces (in addition to keeping the minimum distance of 1 metre)

• Since 18 May, public offices have been open again to the public during business hours.

• Since 15 May, restaurants and other premises offering seating have been allowed to open again
• The permitted opening times have been set from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. since July 1.
• The closing time regulation does not apply to private closed groups (e.g. weddings) if the operator of the hospitality premises or the event location is informed about all the participants at least three days before the start of the event and when the location of the hospitality establishment or the event location is entered exclusively by participants of the closed group.
• A minimum distance of one metre must be kept between the groups of visitors or other suitable protective measures must be put in place to ensure spatial separation. This does not apply to persons sitting at the same table.
• When entering the restaurant, a minimum distance of 1 metre must be kept from other people (who do not belong to the group of visitors) until the table is reached.
• When leaving the table, a minimum distance of 1 metre must be kept from other people (who do not belong to the group of visitors).
• Customers are recommended to reserve a table in advance, so as to enable the restaurant operators to plan properly.
• Food and drink must not be consumed in the immediate vicinity of the serving point (i.e. no consumption at the counter).
• Night-time catering establishments (discotheques, clubs and bars with customer seating areas) will remain closed until further notice.
  • If bars have suitable seating and can adhere to the required rules on distance, they may also reopen provided that they close business at 1 a.m.
• It has been possible to enter accommodation establishments since 29 May under the following conditions:
  • A distance of at least 1 metre must be kept in generally accessibly areas between people who do not live in the same household or do not belong to the group of guests in the shared residential unit
  • The same rules apply in the catering sector as to other food and drink establishments
  • Keep a minimum distance of 1.5 metres in shared bedrooms or use another form of technical protective measure for spatial separation

• Admission to enclosed spaces in places of worship is permitted under the following conditions:
  • A distance of at least 1 metre must be kept between people who do not, at least temporarily, live in the same household
• During services of worship outdoors, a minimum distance of 1 metre must be kept from people who do not live in the same household.
• The obligation to maintain the minimum distance does not apply when a closer distance is required for the performance of religious acts.

• Locations offering art and culture reopened on 18 May.
  • These include museums, exhibition halls, libraries and private and public archives
• Events without assigned and marked seats for up to 100 people have been possible since May 29.
• Since July 1, events with assigned and marked seats in closed rooms with up to 250 people and in the open air area with up to 500 people have been possible.
• As of August 1, events without allocated and marked seats for up to 200 people will be possible. Also from August 1, events with assigned and marked seats will be permitted in closed rooms with up to 500 people and in the open air area with up to 750 people.
• Events with assigned and marked seats in closed rooms for up to 1000 people, in the open-air area for up to 1250 people, will be possible subject to approval of the locally responsible district administrative authority, from August 1.
• As of September 1, events with assigned and marked seats in closed rooms with up to 5000 people and in the open air area with up to 10000 people will be possible, provided that there is an approval of the locally responsible district administrative authority.
• The provisions on events also apply to weddings and funerals.
• The following applies to (public) events:
  • A distance of at least 1 metre must be kept between people who do not live in the same household
  • Nose-mouth masks must be worn when entering and inside event venues in enclosed spaces – this does not apply to the allocated seat as long as a distance of 1 metre can be kept
• At gatherings in accordance with the Assembly Act, nose-mouth protection must be worn if the minimum distance of 1 metre cannot be kept.
• Specialist and public trade fairs may be attended provided that:
  • A distance of at least 1 metre must be kept between people who do not live in the same household
  • Wear nose-mouth protection if the distance of 1 metre cannot be kept.
  • The maximum person limits for events also apply to lectures and seminars in the context of specialist trade fairs and exhibition events open to the public.

• It has been possible to visit wildlife parks and zoos again since 15 May.
• Entering sports facilities is permitted under the following conditions:
  • There must be a minimum distance of one meter from people who do not live in the same household - except when doing sports
  • When practicing sports with physical contact in the context of clubs or at non-public sports facilities, the club or the operator of the non-public sports facility must develop and implement a COVID-19 prevention concept
• Offers for extracurricular youth education and youth work as well as supervised holiday camps can be made use of, the maximum person limits for events apply to all of these activities.
• Swimming pools, bathing ponds and sauna facilities may be entered since 29 May under the following conditions:
  • A distance of at least 1 metre must be kept between people who do not live in the same household
  • The requirement to keep to the minimum distance does not apply under water.
• Recreational facilities may be visited since 29 May, provided that the following conditions are met:
  • A distance of at least 1 metre must be kept between people who do not live in the same household
• Entering facilities used for prostitution has been possible since July 1st.

There is no vaccine. Treatment is symptomatic, i.e. by alleviating the symptoms of the disease, for example by giving antipyretic agents.

Common coronavirus infections affecting humans are mostly mild and symptom-free. Frequent indicators of an infection with the novel coronavirus are, among others, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, or even death. Mild illness courses (symptoms of a cold) as well as infections without any symptoms can occur. Some cases can progress mildly (symptoms of a cold) and some cases do not show any symptoms.

Currently, experts assume that the course of the illness for the novel coronavirus is less severe than for SARS and MERS.

Video "How does the illness manifest itself?" (AGES/Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety)

As of today, there is no definitive information about how dangerous the virus is. For the time being, the novel coronavirus seems to be considerably less dangerous than MERS (with a mortality rate of up to 30 percent) and SARS (approx. 10 percent mortality rate). For the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the assumed mortality rate is up to three percent. Just like for the seasonal flu caused by influenza viruses (mortality rate under 1 percent), especially elderly people and people with a weak immune system are affected.

Video "Wo dangerous is the novel coronavirus?" (AGES/Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety)

Hygiene measures are to be followed, just like during the flu season. The most important and most effective measure to protect yourself and others from getting a respiratory infection are good hand hygiene, correct cough etiquette, and keeping a minimum distance (approx. 1 to 2 meters) to people who might be infected.

• A new and easier option for short-term working
• Available for up to six months for the time being

More answers to questions about “corona-related short-term working” is available in the latest publication of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Labor, Family and Youth.