Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (pictured) announced plans for Austria to become first country in the European Union to start graduate exit process from its lockdown against the coronavirus pandemic, with small shops due to reopen mid-April.

Supported by senior government ministers, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz presented a timetable to restart economy, detailing a series of phased steps to normalise life, especially in urban areas, where many were experiencing confinement in small appartements, while minimising the risk of new contaminations.

With many European countries still battling reduce cases of Covid-19, and hospital systems on the edge of capacity, Austria’s plan causes keen interest: current solution of confinement is not sustainable on long term, however it gave space and time for society and medical system to organised systemic response, and mobilise necessary resources and equipment.

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