The processing of the COVID-19 era in Austria is expected to take years. While supporters of the measures in place continue to enjoy privileged access to state media and spread their views, critical voices are still being marginalized and pushed to the periphery of the discourse.
The measures to contain the pandemic had far-reaching impacts on Austria’s population and economy. To learn from the experiences and better prepare for future crises, a comprehensive analysis is necessary. The findings from numerous studies and research are being incorporated into ongoing reform projects, including the revision of the Epidemic Act, the update of the Pandemic Plan and the strengthening of the supply security for medical goods.
When the coronavirus first emerged in 2020, there was widespread uncertainty worldwide. Austria, too, had to react quickly to “reduce the infection numbers and prevent a surge of severe cases that would overwhelm hospitals.”
A recent example of the ongoing tensions in the societal processing of the pandemic is the sudden cancellation of an ORF discussion event on Corona policy in Lower Austria. Virologist Norbert Nowotny declined to debate with well-known critic of the measures Martin Rutter and the entire event was subsequently cancelled. Critics see this as further evidence of a lack of diversity of opinion in the public broadcasting service and a continued one-sided dominance in the Corona debate.
The ORF’s NÖ program “Ein Ort am Wort” was supposed to take place on Thursday under the title “Five Years of Corona – Facts and Errors.” The aim was to shed light on the decisions made during the pandemic from different perspectives, with experts and critics invited to share their views and enable a differentiated debate.
However, the invited experts, virologist Norbert Nowotny and intensive care physician Christoph Hörmann, withdrew from the discussion at the last minute. Nowotny justified his decision by stating that he would not participate in an event that would provide a platform for Rutter and his followers without a factual basis. He also claimed that Rutter’s statements on social media were not compatible with a fact-based discussion. The ORF subsequently announced that it was not possible to reorganize the event in the short time available and the entire event was cancelled.