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This page is updated on a daily basis. In it we offer facts, data and emergency information about the Coronavirus in Vienna and Austria in English
Coronavirus
The Coronavirus in Austria & Vienna | New Support Platform Launched
Here’s all you need to know about current measures and developments, including trusted sources and tips – regularly updated.
Coronavirus
With COVID-19, Don’t Throw Caution to the Wind
Can we catch COVID-19 just from the air we breathe? Over 200 scientists say yes, and have requested the WHO re-classify the virus as an airborne pathogen.
Coronavirus
Researchers at the Vienna BioCenter Have Developed Easy at-Home COVID-19 Testing; Next Comes Peer Re...
Using a few plastic tubes and paper strips, it is now possible to test for coronavirus yourself, all in under an hour. VBC scientists have developed fast, sensitive and robust testing for SARS-CoV-2 from your kitchen. The team hopes to be part of a national testing strategy.
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Wrestling for the EU Deal | Austrian Officials, Like the Country, Were Divided
Austria’s EU officials expressed diverging opinions ahead of the bloc’s budget-corona negotiations.
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Catching COVID-19 Again – Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Amid all the speculations about so-called “herd immunity,” the jury is still out on reinfection with COVID-19.
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Central Europe Beat COVID-19 – Will Their Democracies Survive?
Like other “black swan” events in the past, COVID-19 has challenged
our democracies and changed the way we live.
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Lessons of the Pandemic | Italy, America, and Covid-19
The crisis has revealed us – for better and worse – to ourselves; the question now is what we will do next.
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In Corona Time, So Few Sniffles!
A silver lining for COVID-19 has been how well we are preventing the common cold.
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The Coronavirus in Austria & Vienna | What Happened in June
With summer approaching, new challenges await Austria in dealing with the coronavirus.Here’s all you need to know about current measures and developments, including trusted sources and tips – regularly updated.
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Vacation in Austria, Like the Habsburgs
The government is making a bid to save the summer tourism season by targeting Austrian guests with a €40 million “Vacation in Austria” campaign.
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All the Town’s a Stage | A €6.3 Million Project is Putting Vienna’s Artists Back to Work
Stadt Wien’s “Kultursommer 2020” is a full-throated anthem of commitment to the arts, and the city’s willingness to put its money where its mouth is.
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Viennese Tourism is Fighting for Survival
Organizations and hotel businesses are vowing to save the city’s summer tourism with advertising campaigns directed at locals and guests from neighboring states.
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A ‘Second Wave’ is Not Inevitable
Even though we’re doing well, it’s not the time to let down our guard; it’s about being careful, cautious and prepared.
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Austria to Open Borders to All Neighbors – Except Italy
Starting on June 4, Austria will open the borders to Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czechia and Hungary. Travelers from these countries won’t need to go into quarantine or present a negative COVID-19 test result.
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The Coronavirus in Austria & Vienna | What Happened in May
Austria has successfully flattened the curve, for now. Here’s all you need to know about current measures, including available resources, trusted sources and tips – regularly updated.
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Ending the Pandemic with Mass Testing
Austria under lockdown has done well controlling the spread of COVID -19. But the only way to return to normal is to track the cases and be able to control further spread.
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Pleased to Meet You | Carefully
Why we (still) need to practice social distancing, now that we can finally get together with friends and family again.
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US Quietly Funds the IAEA in Fight Against COVID-19
As Donald Trump Slams the World Health Organization, the State Department is giving millions to another uN agency to battle the pandemic.
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New Leadership for Austria’s Cultural Reopening
Having faced growing criticism from all sides, State Secretary for Cultural Affairs Ulrike Lunacek resigned May 15.
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Reopening the Borders | What Our Neighbors Are Doing
Austria, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary plan a coordinated opening in mid-June.
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Top 5 Viennese Musicians in Quarantine
Many performers have taken to the internet where they teach, play and release fresh content, keeping our spirits alive during the crisis. Here are some of Metropole’s favorites!
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Carnuntum | Romans, Archaeology and the Coronavirus
It was the stronghold that secured the north-eastern corner of the Roman Empire, thereby also securing trade-routes and access to the Danube for defense from foreign invaders.
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How to Have Fun With Kids During Quarantine
Digging in can be a chance to explore new games and rediscover old pleasures – activities for any rainy Saturday in the years to come.
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(Red) Cross Purposes
The strength of the legendary aid organization is its iron clad neutrality. In the overlapping alliances of Austrian party politics, this is looking badly compromised.
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Relationships and Dating in Vienna in the Age of Corona | From Lovesickness to Quarantined Bliss
What happens to romance in a world of social distancing? A Vienna psychologist sheds light on the challenges of love under lockdown, and Metropole readers share stories.
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Top 5 Viral Austrian Videos | A Sense of Community and Controversy
Love ‘em or hate ‘em – these are the short little clips that intrigued Austrians during lockdown.
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Control Over Coronavirus is in Your Hands
Don’t underestimate the power of hand washing and good old-fashioned soap and water.
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Thomas Piketty and the Post-Plague World
The growing gulf between rich and poor has unleashed fierce debate since the French economist published “Capital and Ideology” in 2019. The economic meltdown from the Corvid-19 crisis gives the debate a bitter new immediacy.
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Mental Interventions | Short Steps and Quick Fixes to Change Your Mood
As the mind never sleeps, instead of exaggerating our anxiety, let us give it something to do and stop the downward spiral.
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President Van der Bellen Addresses the Nation for a Third Time
“I don't think it's possible for us to see yet what significance this crisis will have for our society. Just as it is impossible for a drop of water to understand the course of a river.”
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How Austria Plans to Reopen Its Cultural Landscape, Bars and Restaurants
Plans for life after lockdown are slowly taking shape. Here is a brief summary of the government’s roadmap to cultural and culinary normalcy.
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Shepherding the Herd | When It’s Too Dangerous to Rely on Protection by the Immunity of Others...
The Austrian government has dealt with COVID-19 based on lessons learned from our Italian neighbors and the ski resort coronavirus hotspots. So far, anything else is simply too dangerous.
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Tips for Safe Shopping | As Things Reopen, Extra Care is Needed
The current rules for grocery shopping aim to limit transmission of COVID-19, that means that we must get used to a few things beyond being quarantined.
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Vienna Night Prowl in the Time of Corona
A photographer takes us on a walk through Vienna by night in the time of corona.
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The Coronavirus in Austria & Vienna | What Happened in April
Austria has successfully flattened the curved. Here’s all you need to know about what happened in April 2020 in Vienna and beyond.
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The EU Turns on the Tap | But Will It Be Enough?
Sweeping away economic orthodoxy, the European Union is releasing €1,300 billion – 10% of GDP – into the economy; now, says Austrian economist Kurt Bayer, it needs to start relieving debt. Fast.
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Funding Old Friends | How Crisis Support for Media Ignored Quality and By-Passed Online Altogether
The government’s promise to support the press in economic hard times has crashed into a wall of criticism for giving most to those who need it least.
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Emergency Power Binge | Will Kurz Be Able to Kick the Habit?
The Corona crisis justified a package of extraordinary measures that limit basic freedoms. Watchdogs are worried that the government may be reluctant to give up these powers as the pandemic recedes.
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Op-Ed | Global Health Security – A Call for Taiwan’s Inclusion
Taiwan, a country of 23 million people located in East Asia, registered no more than 428 cases of coronavirus. Yet the WHO keeps ignoring the island’s experience due to pressure from China. Now, Taiwan’s health minister speaks to the world.
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A Call for Home-Sewn Masks
If you have a sewing machine, some time on your hands, and a stash of fabric, why not sew face masks and donate them where they are urgently needed.
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How Austrian Businesses Are Now Fighting the Coronavirus
The pandemic and the shutdown have shaken the country’s economy. Now businesses gear up to help fight the coronavirus, with masks, hackers, drones and more.
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“Inländer raus!” – Austrians Stay Away!
In picturesque towns of the Salzkammergut, mayors hoped to limit spread of the Coronavirus by discouraging city visitors. Instead, they sounded peevish and small-minded.
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Doomsday Music | 11 Dystopic Songs About the End of the World
Earthquake, disease or environmental disaster. Even before the crisis, these artists were already thinking about what the proverbial Last Days of Mankind might look like.
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The ORF Goes Multilingual – a Little Bit
Austria’s public broadcaster now offers current news snippets in multiple languages. The short videos published every other day on Instagram cover coronavirus news in 9 languages.
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The Austrian Cultural Forum New York Invites You to Vienna’s Digital Concert Hall
The sound of Austrian music reverberates even in times of the lockdown, from Vienna to New York. The Konzerthaus’s digital concert hall brings live music to your home.
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All Eyes on Austria as it Reopens Stores, Eases Coronavirus Lockdown
The world watches as Austria becomes one of the first countries European countries to start lifting its lockdown. A media review.
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Ischgl | Greed and Consequences
Delays and denials by Tyrolean officials and the tourism industry have provoked a class action suit, and untold damage to the reputation of the legendary ski resort.
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An Easter Sunday in the Prater
This spring is different. A report from a Styrian in Vienna, as we all stay together apart.
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Living Through the Pandemic in the World’s Most Livable City
A public international lawyer with 25 years at the UN recounts her experience of living through the pandemic in Vienna.
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What to Eat to Keep Your Immune System Fit
Two immunologists share which nutrients can support our resistance to disease in the times of corona.
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Gourmet Restaurant Steirereck Donates All Its Food During Lockdown
The award-winning Viennese restaurant Steirereck donates all its food during the nationwide lockdown.
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Hungary’s New Coronavirus Law Is Highly Criticized
Although other governments have extraordinary power as well, Hungarian’s unlimited mandate is unprecedented in Europe.
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Tourism Is the Industry Most Affected by Coronavirus
The once-flourishing Austrian tourism is suffering, as government and banks intervene to safeguard existing jobs.
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Contagion Airlines ｜What Happens on a Corona Repatriation Flight
So what happens on a corona repatriation flight?
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Coronavirus | An Opportunity for Global Governance Reform
How to make the April 5 International Day of Conscience really mean something.
Coronavirus
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen Addresses the Nation for the Second Time on the Corona C...
“One day, we will look back on this strange, painful, unreal spring of 2020. And we will find: It has passed. It has passed.”
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Why Face Masks Matter – And How to Wear Them
As of April 1, we are supposed to wear face masks when grocery shopping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Covering your nose and mouth with a mask will not protect you from viral infection, but if you are infected and asymptomatic, you may unwittingly infect others.
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Vienna’s Artists Bring the Best of Culture to Your Couch
Cultural life on Austria is on standby – but not quite. Many institutions are trying to keep the spirit alive online. We’ve compiled the best of Vienna’s cultural offerings you can enjoy from your couch.
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The Coronavirus in Austria & Vienna | What Happened in March
The coronavirus has arrived in Austria. Here’s all you need to know about what happened in March 2020 in Vienna and beyond.
Books
Yale Historian Frank Snowden on Epidemics and Society
Yale professor of medical history Frank Snowden’s sweeping analysis of pandemics over the centuries, concludes that while science advances, people do not. An unsettling but gripping read.
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Coronavirus | Everything You Need to Know About Food Delivery in Vienna
Some restaurants have switched to take-out, while large delivery chains have found new ways to safely bring your lunch or dinner.
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Spring 2020 Trend Watch｜Coronavirus Edition
A new season is upon us and with it comes a wave of seasonal must-haves, but this year we’re trading in shoes and purses for non-perishables and medical grade accessories.
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The Law in the Time of Corona
The SARS-CoV-2 virus poses a major challenge both to companies and individuals. A Vienna-based lawyer and data protection experts gives insights into ramifications in law.
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Online Fitness in Times of Quarantine | The Agony of Choice
An E-workout can be an inexpensive alternative to on-the-ground fitness studios and the only available option in lockdown times. From weight reduction to yoga and meditation, paid or free, the online market offers a wide variety on alternatives. The only difficulty is to find the right program for you.
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Help Us Help You
In these turbulent times, we are there for you, every day. Now we need your support to keep it up.
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5 Feel-Good TV Shows to Watch During Quarantine
After a week in isolation, your home may be spotless but your mood may take a hit. So, here’s a list of cheerful TV shows to keep you afloat in these trying times.
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What to Read in Quarantine | Books Recommended by the Metropole Team
We have compiled a lively list of modern and classic novels and non-fiction, favorites of ours and, we hope, soon of yours.
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Coronavirus | Rescuing Culture
A total government support package of €38 billion will help businesses ride out the Coronavirus crisis. How much will go to cultural organizations and artists is still a matter of tricky negotiations.
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6 Home Office Hacks for Productivity & Personal Health
Working in your pajamas sounds dreamy, but remote work presents clear changes: You save time commuting, but lose time with colleagues; shutting off from work becomes more difficult, yet you’re more susceptible to distractions, especially in the time of Corona.
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English-language Updates on the Coronavirus in Austria
Metropole is there for the roughly 500,000 non-German speakers across Austria who need information on COVID-19 developments. Their contribution to the #stayathome effort is vital for the success of Austrian safety measures.
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Coronavirus | Which Stores Are Open, Which Are Closed in Austria
Since Monday, March 16, Ausgangsbeschränkungen (movement restrictions) have been in force in Austria. How does that affect public transportation, can you go to the doctor, take a walk or buy hygiene products? Can the police penalize you? This list should answer all your questions.
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An Italian Journey Fated by Coronavirus
When reality is overtaken by events, risk can be a hard thing to measure: A beloved country in a very strange time
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Hoarding | Enough Already!
Stockpiling the larder is an unpleasant side effect of panic. It does not show people at their best. It is illogical, but apparently irresistible.
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How the Coronavirus Will Affect Your Business in Austria
Over the mid-March weekend, the Austrian government put together a €4 billion relief package for companies and the self-employed, who have suffered massive losses due to the coronavirus.
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The MA 35 & Vienna’s City Administration in the Time of Corona
The MA 35 still operates, but remotely. And Vienna’s Mayor issued an urgent plea to the Viennese to not overwhelm the city’s administration at exactly this time.
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Why Austrians Struggle so Much with Self-Isolation
Self-isolation goes against Austrian culture. Viennese society is built around interaction, which is a big part of what has won the city best Quality of Life for 10 years running.
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Coronavirus | Austrian President Van der Bellen Addresses Nation
“I am confident that we will succeed, just as we have already achieved a lot together in our country. Please look after yourselves! And together we will look after our Austria. Thank you."
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7 Contagious Movies to Watch During Self-Quarantine
Global contagion has long inspired cinema, making it second only to nuclear Armageddon as a premise for post-apocalyptic dystopias! As you grumble about toilet paper shortages at your local Billa, take comfort that at the very least, things aren’t quite so bad as these silver screen nightmares.
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Saint Corona | Martyr of the Moment
It comes as no surprise that there is a patron saint to protect us from plagues: Her name, however, does: it is St. Corona.
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7 Homespun Remedies to Combat Coronavirus and Regain Remote Control
While staying at home may be helpful in containing the outbreak, it can also lead to increased loneliness. So why not use the time to wipe away all the nasty by cleaning, scrubbing and dusting?
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The Coronavirus in Austria | First Incidents, Few Fears
While some make dystopian jokes, others are buying the last face masks on the Internet. How the country is dealing with COVID-19.
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Sebastian Kurz Admits That Kurzarbeit Means We’re All Working for Him
The Austrian Chancellor is now the country’s largest employer. Or is he?
