Advertisement

Austria's essential shops to close at 7pm during lockdown

The Local Austria
The Local Austria - [email protected]
Austria's essential shops to close at 7pm during lockdown
A customer wears a face mask as she looks through shelves at discounter ALDI in Duesseldorf, western Germany, on April 29, 2020 amid the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. - From April 29, 2020 in Germany, masks are needed to enter shops, which began to open last week after the government declared its outbreak under control. Nose and mouth coverings are already compulsory on buses, trains and trams. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)

During the second half of Austria's 20-day lockdown, essential businesses will close early at 7pm, the government confirmed on Monday.

Advertisement

The change to retail opening hours was the only significant change to the lockdown rules, apart from the shortening in the length of validity of vaccine certificates (from 360 to 270 days after the second dose) which had already been publicised and is effective from December 6th.

The reduced opening hours apply only to those businesses that are already allowed to be open under the current Covid-19 law, including supermarkets, pharmacies, but also pet food stores and newsagents for example. Previously these could stay open until 9pm.

Advertisement

“Although retail employees are the largest professional group in Austria, they are regularly forgotten by the Ministry of Health,” union chairperson Barbara Teiber said when first calling for early closure last week.

She argued that this was a necessary safety precaution for shop employees, particularly women, to feel safer returning home on emptier than usual dark winter streets. 

"Female retail workers in particular do not want to go home in the dark through deserted alleys. In addition, shorter opening times ensure secure staff capacity. In this difficult situation, it is not possible for retail employees, who often have care responsibilities, to step in all the time," Teiber said.

The earlier closure was also a rule during previous lockdowns, but was changed earlier this summer.

READ ALSO: Can I leave Austria to go on holiday during the lockdown?

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also