Austria is planning "mass testing" for coronavirus to help a chart a way out of the second lockdown coming into force next week, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Sunday. Referring to a controversial mass testing programme in neighbouring Slovakia, Kurz told public broadcaster ORF that "we have decided here in Austria... to take a similar step". In Slovakia, two-thirds of the population were tested two weeks ago, with just over one percent testing positive. On Sunday Kurz said mass testing could help the country re-open in December, but it was not clear if the testing programme would be on the same scale as in Slovakia. Kurz said that the advent of antigen tests meant "we finally have the possibility of buying millions of tests", although he admitted that rolling out a large testing programme would be a "logistical challenge".

Source: Mint November 15, 2020 16:18 UTC