The mayor of Vienna has announced stricter measures are being put in place to curb escalating Covid cases.

Workers in hospitals and care homes in the Austrian capital will be required to once again wear FFP2 masks and the number of visitors permitted will be reduced, according to Vienna mayor Michael Ludwig.

The visitor limit will be three PCR-tested visitors per patient per day, The Local reports.

“We have a new situation; this is the first time that we have a wait in July,” he stated.

Ludwig added that this new Covid wave had piled more pressure on health sector staff dealing with high infection numbers and the summer holiday season.

“We are in a sensitive phase. The travel events have two implications. On the one hand, the Viennese will come back from holiday countries, and on the other hand, many holidaymakers from abroad would also come to Vienna,” the mayor stated.

Vienna often maintained stricter measures in place than the rest of the country during the pandemic. Masks are still required on public transport in Vienna, yet this is no longer the case elsewhere in Austria.

The mayor of Vienna also echoed the importance of the Covid vaccine, particularly the booster jab and the fourth shot ahead of the next Covid wave. More vaccination centres will be introduced, Ludwig added.  

In the capital, those over 12 years of age are eligible for a fourth dose four months after the third vaccine.

“We have seen an increase in demand for the vaccine in the last days”, the mayor said.

“I believe that the federal government should also adapt to the given conditions. Testing should be rolled out again widely, and the fourth dose should be advertised extensively.”

A total of 11,971 new cases were reported in Austria on Thursday, and a total of 4,499,646 since the start of the pandemic