Footnote: Austrian Health Minister Decrees that those w/positive test must 'keep aerosol exhaust as small as possible'
The ministerial decree also permits exceptions from mandatory mask wearing of 'test-positive' individuals 'in case of an emergency, but only if the situation renders it necessary'
So, and now this happened: without much ado, Austro-Covidistan Health Minister quietly changed some of the more absurd mandates of the currently-valid regulations. For background, please see:
Basically, the problem arose because according to the ‘rules’ in place, test-positive individuals would be forbidden from entering, among other places, primary schools and other public buildings.
With a bunch of elections (federal president, state elections) coming up, this regulation would have prevented test-positive individuals from exercising their right to vote (leaving aside the option of absentee ballots) at polling places, which are typically found in—well, you guessed it, public buildings and primary schools.
So, now this notion—certainly due to incompetence of whoever crafted the regulation in the first place—has been changed:
Source: here.
As you can see, the money paragraph is the highlighted one, which translates as follows:
1. § 3(2) reads:
"(2) The obligation to wear a mask throughout does not apply to
1. to the use of a health service in an emergency, if this is absolutely necessary;
2. to take a test for SARS-CoV-2;
3. For the purpose of identification for statutory identification requirements.
Before the mask is removed, the presence of a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 must be indicated. The mask shall be removed only for the time strictly necessary, minimising aerosol output.
I feel sorry for poor Kafka and his much-abused name, and this is certainly a new low.
Then again, if you test positive in Covidistan and are eligible for a temporary respite from wearing masks, make sure you hold your breath while voting.
If these regulations apply to you, don’t forget to vote for whomever isn’t in government right now to make your protest obvious.
Protests are also a good idea.
Just sayin’.
Not Covid-related but surely indicative of the sad fact that this madness in office is not confined to one nation but to all of Europe, Sweden's state agency for preparedness and information pertaining disasters, war and so on (Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) yesterday released instructions for how to handle high heating costs and power outages.
Build a pillow-fort under your kitchen table. Hang drapes, curtains, sheets, carpets over the table to creat a tent and put your mattresses underneath it to sit on. Heat the enclosed space with tea candles.
This is not me joking. This is for real.
."... must 'keep arsol exhaust as small as possible'