Austria may ease lockdown as from Sunday

Austria may be one of the first European countries to loosen restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

Over the weekend, the government will review data and consider a plan to gradually restart the economy after it succeeded in slowing the outbreak of the deadly disease, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told parliament in Vienna.

At the same time, Kurz urged Austrians to persevere with social-distancing measures and asked them to refrain from celebrating the Easter holiday with large gatherings of families and friends.

The 33-year-old leader, who wore a face mask before and after his speech, also warned against giving the all clear before virus statistics show a sustainable downward trajectory. Kurz has previously raised the prospects of easing restrictions after Easter on April 12 and then dashed those hopes by tightening aspects of the lockdown.

“Let’s not jump to conclusions because there are some positive signals,” Kurz told lawmakers. “I can promise you, if the numbers support it, we’ll do what we can to return to normality step by step.”

Bordering on a northern Italian virus hotspot and a spreader of its own through some of its ski resorts, Austria was one of the first European countries after Italy to close schools and stores, taking the step on March 16. Kurz’s government added measures like mandatory face masks in recent days.

The restrictions aimed at limiting contact between people managed to reduce the increase in new infections to less than 5% per day. The number of daily fatalities has fallen for four straight days this week, with 10 deaths on Friday taking the total to 168.

Kurz’s government, a coalition with the environmentalist Greens, will review virus statistics with epidemiology experts on Sunday and present its plans on Monday, Kurz said.