The birth of the first child – pure emotion. All parents know that. But what if the expectant father tests positive for Covid-19 shortly before the birth? That happened to a man from Salzburg. Despite the infection, he drove to the hospital with his heavily pregnant wife – and thereby endangered others.
“What were you thinking,” the judge wants to know at the Salzburg trial. The accused – a mechanical engineering technician from Pongau – has no right answer. “It was all so chaotic. The amniotic fluid burst, there was blood and everything happened so quickly.” On November 14, he himself did not believe that he was positive. Or don’t want to believe it. Hours earlier, he had received the positive test result of a PCR test. But he doesn’t want to have had any symptoms, according to his dad. When the contractions started, he simply drove with his wife to the Schwarzach hospital – past the porter and two midwives. Nevertheless, he did not witness the birth – a test made in the hospital was positive, with a CT value of 15. So he was highly infectious. A fine of 2700 euros was imposed. “Why didn’t they just call the ambulance?” Asks the judge. The 30-year-old nods, sees his wrongdoing. Prosecutor Robert Holzleitner underlined “the particularly emotional circumstances as an expectant father” and called for a fine instead of imprisonment. “You not only endangered the staff, but also your wife and child,” emphasizes the judge. 2700 euros fine, not final.
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