Changes to vaccine passes and booster rules
From today, it's possible to get your booster from three months after the date of your second dose -- though Austria's National Vaccine Committee still recommends a four-month gap. This also means people who previously got their booster between three and four months after their second dose should now have a valid vaccine pass.
And also today, the validity of two doses shortens to six months, down from nine, which means around 235,000 people need to get a booster to be considered fully vaccinated for the purposes of 2G and 3G rules.
Carinthia cuts back on contact tracing
It's the latest region to do so, following Upper Austria, Tyrol, Salzburg and Styria, as a result of the heavy burden from the Omicron wave. This means only a few people will be contacted directly by authorities, including vulnerable groups and those working in critical infrastructure such as healthcare workers.
Man kills two relatives and himself in Graz
Three people are reported dead after a man killed his mother and brother, whom he lived with, and then himself in Graz on Tuesday morning. According to police, the perpetrator called police to inform them he was about to carry out the killings and they rushed to the scene but arrived after the murders and suicide.
The Austrian government website has an information page of useful phone numbers including an emotion support helpline. Telephone counselling for adults is also available 24/7 by calling 142.
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