02:52Austria: Drivers queue up for COVID test as South African variant detected in Tyrol
Drivers faced long queues at a mass PCR testing station in Schwaz, in the Zillertal valley, Sunday, after the region in Tyrol detected several cases of the South African COVID-19 mutation on Friday.
Austrian authorities called on the population of Schwaz to take free PCR tests after least 28 cases were registered in the region.
"A lot of people are getting voluntary tests done. It's good that so many people make tests voluntarily, even if the lines are long, but I hope the screening station is well prepared for that," said a driver waiting in line.
Similarly to the British variant, the South African mutation is likely to be more contagious than the main version of the coronavirus. Authorities are still trying to trace how the COVID variant entered the region.
02:52Drivers faced long queues at a mass PCR testing station in Schwaz, in the Zillertal valley, Sunday, after the region in Tyrol detected several cases of the South African COVID-19 mutation on Friday.
Austrian authorities called on the population of Schwaz to take free PCR tests after least 28 cases were registered in the region.
"A lot of people are getting voluntary tests done. It's good that so many people make tests voluntarily, even if the lines are long, but I hope the screening station is well prepared for that," said a driver waiting in line.
Similarly to the British variant, the South African mutation is likely to be more contagious than the main version of the coronavirus. Authorities are still trying to trace how the COVID variant entered the region.