Branch Covidian Advent Calender, 10 Dec. 2023

The one in which Health Minister Rauch rules out future federal mask mandates, incl. polling numbers what the people think about this

Translation and emphases mine, as are the bottom lines.

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FFP2 Comeback Conceivable: You could soon have to wear a mask again here

By Michael Rauhofer-Redl, Heute, 9 Dec. 2023 [source]

‘In some areas the wearing of masks is definitely responsible, according to Minister Rauch, e.g., in hospitals. There will be no more federal mask mandate, though.’

The number of coronavirus infections is currently rising sharply, and the flu epidemic [remember: the flu is a seasonal thing] in Austria is also gathering pace. In view of this, there are increasing calls for a return to FFP2 masks. Scientist [sic] Peter Hajek conducted an opinion poll for Heute with a total of 1,600 participants. According to the survey, 62% of Austrians are ‘very’ or ‘rather’ [orig. eher] against the reintroduction of FFP mandates. Only just under one in three (32%) are in favour. [talk about a learning curve]

However, there will be no general obligation to wear masks, as Austria experienced at the height of the pandemic, even though infections are now on the rise again. Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) clearly rejects such a measure in the Falter weekly. He answers a question about the reintroduction of compulsory masks with a simple ‘no’, adding: ‘As Minister of Health, I have no constitutional basis for making masks compulsory. I can only appeal to people to voluntarily wear masks again where it is important, i.e. on public transport, in retirement homes and in hospitals.’ [remember: without a state of public health emergency, simply mandating such crap isn’t legal; that’s why one must be opposed to that so-called ‘Pandemic Treaty’]

You could soon have to wear masks again here

However, Rauch is only referring to his area of expertise [competence, which is?]. A politically mandated FFP2 comeback is therefore out of the question. Nevertheless, there could soon be places where customers will have to wear a mask again:

[E]ach hospital, every doctor can determine this themselves in their own area and insist on masks.

There are already several doctors' practices across the country where patients are required to cover their nose and mouth.

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Bottom Lines

Masking is useless vs. respiratory illnesses, but it is necessary to create a sense of urgency, immediacy, and personal involvement. It’s a little bit like having zits in puberty or the like, I suppose.

Yes, the kinda good news is that, according to polling data, politicos are afraid of re-introducing federal mandates because they know it’s unpopular with 2/3 of the electorate. Oh, did I mention that there’s two federal elections next year? Talk about incentives…

Still, the main problem I see is that, absent any declared ‘public health emergency’, doctors and hospitals will be permitted to randomly, and without evidence, order patients to mask-up.

I suspect a good deal of the above-related 62% opposed to mask mandates might look for new GPs and medical services.

Here’s a business pitch for healthcare providers in Austria: why don’t you provide evidence-based services? I suspect you’d have lots of new patients before too long.

A patchwork of staggered masking requirements will continue, however, until morale improves.

Finally, the flip side of these ‘mini mandates’ is that they derive from what ownership rights (in German that would be Hausrecht), i.e., the owner of an establishment may deny entrance to patrons who do not play by the house rules.

I suppose that this should also apply across the board, and I encourage business-owners to display placards reading, e.g., ‘no masks inside’, or ‘if you wear a mask, show me the evidence’. Those who can’t do that shall not be permitted to enter.