Vojtek: “Reproduction factor R is already down”

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Federal rescue chief Jerry Vojtech was upbeat in the Ö1 morning newspaper on Friday. The closure was a necessary measure to reduce the number of new infections and therefore the number of hospitalizations. “It can end when it works — that is, when the number of infections among hospitalized patients goes down,” Vojtek said.

Is the current shutdown enough for that? Open schools and the hustle and bustle of the streets don’t make you overly optimistic. “Personally, I also confirm that impression,” Vojtek said.

It will be necessary to reduce the number of connections by about 30 percent. But: “We can actually see from this reproductive factor – this is the factor that shows how many people on average get infected with an infected person – that’s decreasing accordingly.”

In the long term, it is about increasing vaccination coverage. “Vaccination is still one of our most powerful tools against the virus.” It will very reliably prevent severe disease in any age group.

The federal bailout leader – in contrast to the policy that wants to introduce mandatory vaccinations at the beginning of February – is continuing the conversation. In Austria, about two million adults have not yet been vaccinated, mVojtek was convinced that “compulsory vaccination” would probably not be able to get most of them to receive the vaccination. “Pressure is no way out here,” but opinions have already solidified. It will be about a “face saver”. Here Foitik pins high hopes on dead-end vaccines, which many vaccine skeptics consider justified.