German Health Minister Jens Spahn has expressed optimism over Austria's plans for containing the epidemic after it allowed individual skiing over the Christmas season but kept hotels closed
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd December, 2020) German Health Minister Jens Spahn has expressed optimism over Austria's plans for containing the epidemic after it allowed individual skiing over the Christmas season but kept hotels closed.
"People returning from ski holidays across the whole of Europe... unknowingly brought home the virus. It wasn't skiing in itself that was a problem from an infection point of view, but the activities surrounding skiing... So I can only welcome the decision that the Austrian government has taken on quarantine requirements," he said.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday that ski lifts would reopen on December 24 as part of the quarantine phaseout. Meanwhile, hotels, bars and restaurants will reopen on January 7.
Germany, France and Italy have pushed for an EU-wide ban on ski tourism until after Christmas holidays. Germany extended limits on public life last week in a bid to contain a second coronavirus wave. It reported its highest daily death toll of 487 on Wednesday, taking the total to 17,123.
