From Friday, February 12, an additional 650 soldiers will reinforce the assistance forces in Tyrol. This reinforcement is being carried out due to the South African Covid-19 mutation occurring in Tyrol and the associated measures taken by the federal government.
This means that a total of 1,000 soldiers have been deployed to support mass testing, contact tracing and entry and exit checks in Tyrol. The additional forces come from units and units from Tyrol, Carinthia and Styria. “The Austrian Armed Forces are supporting the Tyrolean population and the authorities in the fight against the pandemic. Together, we will do everything we can to enable the population to return to a normal life as soon as possible – together, we will also overcome this challenge,” said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. All necessary safety measures are being taken to ensure that soldiers are well protected during their deployment. These include the wearing of FFP2 masks and regular disinfection of equipment and accommodation. In order to offer the deployed forces and their surroundings the best possible protection, the possibility of Covid testing by our own medical personnel is ensured. The Austrian Armed Forces are continuing to support the authorities throughout Austria in dealing with the pandemic. A total of around 3,350 soldiers will be deployed domestically from Friday. In addition, almost 1,000 soldiers are serving for peace in a total of 16 missions abroad.
