Freedom Of Austria EU Lawmaker Calls For Reducing Country's Quarantine Period To 5 Days

Freedom of Austria EU Lawmaker Calls for Reducing Country's Quarantine Period to 5 Days

The Freedom of Austria party is urging the country's government to reduce the quarantine period for individuals who are believed to have come into contact with someone infected with the coronavirus disease to just five days, Roman Haider, a member of the European Parliament representing the party, told Sputnik on Thursday, adding that the government should also stop mass asymptomatic testing

ST. PETERSBURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th October, 2020) The Freedom of Austria party is urging the country's government to reduce the quarantine period for individuals who are believed to have come into contact with someone infected with the coronavirus disease to just five days, Roman Haider, a member of the European Parliament representing the party, told Sputnik on Thursday, adding that the government should also stop mass asymptomatic testing.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is currently considering whether to reduce the mandatory quarantine period, which requires individuals to spend 10 days in self-isolation. Kurz has said that shortening the length of the quarantine period would be "desirable," although the chancellor added that any reduction would be implemented only if it could be justified on a scientific basis.

"A reduction from 10 to five days only with a negative test. That is the discussion. Yes, we support that. People should be able to test themselves free," Haider stated.

The Freedom of Austria member of the European Parliament also called on the government to reduce the amount of COVID-19 tests conducted on asymptomatic people.

"And only people with symptoms should be tested at all. Stop those senseless mass tests," Haider remarked.

The Austrian authorities are currently battling to contain the country's second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, the domestic single-day record for new cases was broken, as 4,453 positive tests were registered in the country, a dramatic rise from the 3,394 new cases registered one day ago.

Austria's COVID-19 case total currently stands at 93,949 and 1,056 people have died due to complications from the disease, according to public health officials in the country.�