In the meantime, a broad alliance has formed against the obligation to wear masks in retail. The trade association, the GPA trade union and the ACSP shopping center association are currently fighting against them, as well as numerous local companies, including Spar, Rewe, Hofer, Lidl, Unimarkt, Müller, dm, Fressnapf and Radatz. They all have no understanding for the Austrian special path.
The NEOS want to submit a motion for a resolution in the National Council on Wednesday to lift the mask requirement in all economic sectors. In doing so, they rely on the petition of the trade association “Relieve heroes of the crisis”.
In almost all European countries, the mask is no longer an issue. Apart from Austria, you only have to wear a mask to go to the supermarket in Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina. A FFP2 mask requirement for employees in “essential trade” remains specific to Austria. This special path burdens more than 130,000 employees in “essential trade” (e.g. supermarkets, discounters, drugstores, etc.). For more than 24 months they have had to work almost continuously with an FFP2 mask. A Europe-wide unicum!
“The whole of Europe has now recognized it, only Austria is continuing to adhere to this discriminatory measure,” says Rainer Will, Managing Director of the Trade Association. “We no longer understand why the Health Secretary still wants to ride this dead horse. We receive hundreds of messages every day from affected retail employees who have had to wear a mask in the shops for up to ten hours a day for more than two years. Especially now, with temperatures above 30 degrees, this is extremely stressful for those affected.” Rainer Will is backed by the Graz virologist Klaus Vander from the Institute of Microbiology.
Nevertheless, Health Minister Rauch has announced several times that this mask requirement will be maintained at least until July 8th, possibly even beyond the entire summer – despite rising temperatures and falling numbers of cases. The new infections fall sharply, the risk of infection when shopping is very low. “In view of open discotheques and clubs, the Austrian special path makes no sense at all,” emphasizes Rainer Will.
The trade association is now renewing its call for an immediate end to the mask requirement for all employees in retail and supports the opposition’s motion in the National Council.
