Due to a rapid increase in the number of corona infections, also with the British variant, an exit test is mandatory for the Leiblachtal (district of Bregenz) from Thursday.

10.15 p.m., March 23, 2021

That shared Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP) on Tuesday at a press conference called at short notice. From Wednesday it will Test offer in the five municipalities expandedthat within two days all 14,000 residents a test opportunity receive. Kindergartens and schools are particularly affected.

The compulsory exit test applies from Thursday, midnight, for seven days. Anyone wishing to leave the region must show a negative antigen test (not older than 48 hours) or a PCR test (not older than 72 hours). So-called living room tests do not apply; children up to ten years of age are exempt from the test. The measures would be in consultation with the mayors of the affected communities Lochau, Hörbranz, Eichenberg, Möggers and Hohenweiler met, said Wallner. There is no need for drama, he emphasized, but one wants to act in good time – also in order to be able to continue the “Vorarlberg model” of openings: “Not reacting would be wrong.”

In Hörbranz are in the past seven days 44 corona cases became known, eight of them with the British virus variant. In Lochau it was 15 cases in seven days, six of them with the British mutation. “You can see that things can happen quickly – we had zero cases last week,” said Hörbranz mayor Andreas Kresser.

Children particularly affected

Are particularly affected by cluster formation Kindergartens, schools and childcare facilities. One kindergarten in Hörbranz has already been closed, and another will temporarily shut down from Wednesday morning. An elementary school class was closed in Lochau. The proportion of children and adults among those infected is roughly equal, reported state medical director Wolfgang Grabher.

From Wednesday morning, an additional test station with a test capacity of 10,000 people within two days will be available in the Leiblachsaal in Hörbranz, reported Provincial Councilor Christian Gantner (ÖVP). In addition, the municipalities are increasing their existing offers so that all residents of the Leiblachtal have a test opportunity within 48 hours. Wallner urged the population to make use of this.

Increase of 12 points over the previous day

In any case, one does not have to lock up nationwide now. “I don’t see it that way,” said Wallner on Tuesday evening in the ORF “Report” when asked about it. The total seven-day incidence in Vorarlberg is 78. Although there was an increase of 12 points compared to the previous day – “that is a signal that it can also go in the other direction”, but one still has one ” Top value in Austria “.

“When clusters of this kind occur, it is all the more important that you then have to proceed relatively clearly, consistently and even somewhat aggressively,” said Wallner. He did not want to name a specific value from which the country-wide would have to lock again, but referred to the value of 400 fixed the day before at the Bund-Länder summit in Vienna, from which “immediate measures” should be taken. But it is important not to look at the incidence alone, he repeated. “I mean, with these dimensions you will have to intervene. But even then I am not convinced whether the answer has to be a full lockdown,” he would rather react with “intensive tests”.