Where did the coronavirus come from?

In December 2019, people in the Chinese city of Wuhan fell ill with a lung disease. This illness was caused by the new coronavirus. The new illness is also called Covid-19. Covid-19 is spreading rapidly all over the world.

In February, many people got sick with the virus in Europe, especially in Italy. The first cases in Austria were also discovered at the end of February. Since then, the province of Tyrol (in west Austria) has been a big risk area in Europe.

What is a virus?

A virus is a tiny germ which can make people or animals sick. When viruses are outside the body, they cannot do anything – they need to live inside another creature to survive. If a virus gets into the cells of the body, it multiplies and destroys the cells. This makes people sick.

When you sneeze, viruses are hurtled into the air, where other people breathe them in. This way, viruses can spread very fast.

How do I protect myself from the coronavirus?

You can protect yourself by washing your hands with soap several times a day. Each time, you should wash all parts of your hands for 40 to 60 seconds. If you sneeze, then hold a tissue in front of your nose or mouth, or sneeze into your elbow.

Try to avoid touching your face as much as possible, as it is usually your hands that come into contact with the virus.

Wearing a face mask will not protect you from getting sick. The masks are only sensible if you are already ill.

What should the people of Austria do for the time being?

The Austrian government wants to stop the spread of the coronavirus. This is why the government has called on the people in Austria to stay home as much as possible. This restriction is due to last until April 13. There are only a few exceptions where you are allowed to go outside – when you need to buy food, for instance. Or if you need to go to the bank or to work. You are allowed to go for walks alone, or with people you live with, but you are not allowed to hang out with friends or in groups.

It is always important to keep your distance from other people, ideally between one and two metres. This is about two or three arm-lengths. This will reduce your risk of catching the coronavirus. If possible, you should work from home.

Many measures against the coronavirus might last longer than Easter. This was according to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. “We will have a phase after Easter which will be closer to the current situation than the normal situation”, said Kurz.

What rules should I follow when shopping?

If you have no food at home, you have to go shopping. You are of course allowed to do this. However, older people should ask their neighbours or younger relatives to go shopping for them, as they are more vulnerable to the virus.

There are often signs at the cash desks which say it is better to pay with your phone or your debit card. No using physical money will help avoiding the cashiers getting sick. However, it is not forbidden to pay with coins or notes. If you do not have a debit card, for instance, you can still pay with cash.

Can I still travel out of Austria?

Due to the coronavirus, many countries in Europe have closed their borders. This also affects Austria. Almost all of its neighbouring countries are closed at the moment. The border to Germany is closed. You can also no longer travel to Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Slovakia. You can only get into those countries if you are an Austrian working there. Slovenia is still accessible, but you will have to go into a 14-day quarantine after that.

Quarantine means that you cannot come into contact with other people. You are kept separate from all other people. This happens when one has a serious or contagious illness, or when it is suspected that one has a serious or contagious illness. The quarantine is supposed to avoid more people from getting infected.

Many people are affected by short-time work – what is that?

Because of the virus, many factories are standing still. Many companies are not getting any more commissions, or any more money. Lots of shops also have to close. This means that lots of people are losing their jobs and are now looking for work.

However, there is a way to help companies and their employees. This is called short-time work. Short-time work means that people still work, but only very little. This way, the employee can keep their job, and they get their money from the state, and not from their company.

In total, the government wants to help companies with 38 billion euros. Part of the money is for immediate help, while another part is for badly-affected companies to use as credit. Some companies will not have to pay taxes for a while.

+++ The translation of this report is a project in cooperation with the Vienna Economic Chamber (WKK). The translations are financed with WKW funding. +++