Ski season: increasing numbers of infections and lockdown – is winter vacation possible?

Everything is white and the snow crawlers have long been in use. In fact, skiing on the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain at almost 3000 meters, should have started on November 13th. Had it not been for the November lockdown, through which hotels, restaurants, leisure facilities and mountain railways had to close.

Because of the large number of visitors, the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn even stopped operating a few days before that. "We use this time to carry out regular revision work and to optimally prepare for the season," explains press spokeswoman Verena Altenhofen to FOCUS Online.

Hope that the ski season starts in December on the Zugspitze

Nobody can currently imagine that the ski season could be canceled completely due to Corona. “We are prepared and could start skiing on the Zugspitze immediately,” she explains. Even if it doesn't look like it at the moment, the operators sincerely hope that the federal and state governments will give the green light for the opening of mountain railways in December.

Especially since you are well prepared to comply with protective and hygiene measures: “In the summer we carried over 450,000 guests thanks to a successful hygiene concept without infection,” she explains.

Therefore, what already applied in summer also applies to winter: guests must wear a mouth and nose cover in all buildings, in outdoor waiting areas and in gondolas, lifts and chair lifts. The latter two should even be fully occupied – the only restriction here is that the wind and weather protection covers on chair lifts must not be folded down.

In the case of aerial tramways, however, the number of journeys has been reduced by two thirds. The Zugspitz cable car, which only opened in 2017, therefore only runs with a maximum of 80 instead of 120 people. Thanks to the open windows, the ventilation is so good that the risk of infection is significantly reduced – and the journey time is only ten minutes.

Surf tip: You can find all the news about the coronavirus in the news ticker from FOCUS Online

Austria wants to start the skiing winter in December

In Austria, too, the start of the winter season has to be postponed, because because of the rising corona cases, the Alpine republic has been in a tightened lockdown since November 17th, which should last until December 6th. This means: shops and facilities that are not part of everyday life are closed and residents are only allowed to leave their homes for good reason, such as work or to visit the doctor. Hotels and restaurants as well as mountain railways are closed.

Nevertheless, the local winter sports resorts hope that the lockdown does not get in the way of the start of the winter season in December. Especially since large sums of money were spent on corona protective measures in many places.

For example, the ski resort of Ischgl, which mutated into a corona hotspot last spring, invested over 700,000 euros in health and safety standards – including cameras at the lift and gondola stations, which are intended to help prevent group formation when queuing.

St. Anton am Arlberg, which wants to start the winter season on December 17th, has also done a lot. To ensure that there are no uncontrolled outbreaks in the ski area, the ski resort has been working with the Center Center for Social and Health Innovation (CSHI) in Innsbruck for months. St. Anton even acts as a model region for the state of Tyrol for the concept "Covid-19 – Risk Management in Winter Tourism".

Mouth and nose protection in lifts, visitor flow control and contact tracing

Cornelia Lass-Flörl, Director of the Section for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology at the Medical University of Innsbruck, acts as an advisor for measures and handling in the ski resort. "For several months Ms. Lass-Flörl has been accompanying us with her expertise – she sharpens our understanding of the overall situation through her knowledge," said Tourism Director Martin Ebster in an interview with FOCUS Online.

"With this support, additional safety measures such as mask compulsory in buses and mountain railways, visitor flow control in waiting areas, registration requirements in bars, security concepts in the accommodation establishments and at the ski schools as well as intensively trained employees, we can start the winter season with confidence," explains Ebster. St. Anton does not currently plan to restrict passenger capacities in the mountain railways, but this could definitely be introduced if the situation requires it.

According to Ebster, for example, more ski buses should be used to ensure that there is not too much of a rush.

Contact tracing functions as the core element in the fight against the spread of Sars-CoV-2 in the ski region: Since October 19, visitors to Tyrolean restaurants have had to register so that contact persons can be identified as quickly as possible in the event of an infection.

No more après-ski parties

In addition to wearing mouth protection, hand disinfection and the officially prescribed minimum distances between the tables, partitions in rooms and more frequent filter changes in ventilation systems should also ensure more safety. Guests can view menus and drinks using a QR code.

However, visitors will feel the most obvious change in terms of après-ski. According to federal regulations, no party atmosphere may arise in restaurants across the country. This means that this winter there will no longer be bar establishments with loud music or DJs – in addition, food and drinks may only be consumed at the seat.

“We have done everything to ensure a high level of security for our guests,” explains Ebster. Nevertheless, he also appeals to the vacationers to take responsibility. Because measures are useless if guests do not adhere to them, said the tourism director.

Some of the ski season has already started

This is exactly what happened to the Swiss neighbors. The famous ski resort of Zermatt recently hit the negative headlines because photos appeared on social media showing a crowd at the Matterhornbahn.

Admittedly, distance rules and a mask requirement in the gondolas also apply in Switzerland, but if guests don't adhere to them, they are of little use: “In the end, it has to be implemented. And every single one is asked for. It's about personal responsibility, ”said the head of Zermatt Bergbahnen, Markus Hasler, to the online portal Blick.ch.

Only in tow and chair lifts, guests do not have to wear masks. Otherwise, a mask is required everywhere in the country on public transport and in public spaces where it is not possible to keep your distance (including restaurants, shops and pedestrian zones).

Unlike Austria, Switzerland is currently not in a lockdown despite the increasing number of infections. Although there are strict hygiene regulations and, for example, curfew in restaurants and bars from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., hotels are open in compliance with strict protection concepts.

As things stand now, Switzerland is starting the winter season on schedule – in addition to Zermatt, skiing has already started in several other ski resorts such as Engelberg, Saas-Fee and Les Diablerets with the Glacier 3000.

Ski resorts in Italy closed – South Tyrol in lockdown

The first lifts were already buzzing in Italy, but because of the increasing number of infections in the country, skiing had to be stopped again. The second wave is also rolling in the Germans' favorite holiday destination, so that there is currently a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for all of Italy. Hotels, shops, bars and restaurants are open under certain conditions – but sometimes with shorter opening times. For example, bars and restaurants have to close at 6 p.m.

Individual regions are even in lockdown. For example South Tyrol. There, the skiing operations on the glaciers in Sulden and in Schnalstal had to be stopped again – hotels and restaurants are also closed. There is also a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The lockdown in South Tyrol is initially until November 29th. What will come next is still uncertain, but according to information from the South Tyrolean tourism association IDM, it is hoped that the ski season could start in December.

In order to be able to shorten the lockdown, South Tyrol carried out a three-day corona mass test last weekend, in which over 340,000 locals had a smear test. Almost 3,200 people (0.9 percent) tested positive.

Conte questions ski operations in Italy and neighboring countries before January 10th

Nevertheless, according to the state ordinance, there will be no skiing in South Tyrol and in other Italian ski areas until at least December 3rd. If Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has his way, not even longer: He already questioned the opening of the ski areas in Italy and neighboring European countries before January 10th and wants to work on a joint European plan in coordination with Germany, Austria and France work.

Protest in the face of this tough push has already come from Austria: The local finance minister Gernot Blümel is demanding billions in compensation from the EU in the event of a cross-border opening of the ski areas, which will only take place after the Christmas holidays.

Because Italy's advance means a loss of sales of 800 million euros per week in Austria. "If the EU actually pretends that the ski areas must remain closed, then that means costs of up to two billion euros. If the EU really wants that, it has to pay for it," said Blümel on Tuesday.

Austria, Italy and Switzerland are considered risk areas

Ski fans currently have to be patient – if only because of the lockdown in Germany, where German citizens are encouraged to refrain from tourist trips.

To make matters worse, many ski destinations are classified as risk areas by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). It is not forbidden to travel there, but it carries a risk of infection and has consequences: because those returning from such areas must report to the responsible health department at their place of residence, have themselves tested and be quarantined at home for ten days.

The quarantine monitored by the health department will only be lifted if a test turns out negative after five days of domestic isolation at the earliest (regulations may vary in the individual federal states). Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland are currently considered risk areas.

With material from dpa

Skiing despite Corona – Rising numbers of infections and lockdown: What will happen to our skiing holiday?