Vienna welcomes Bulgarian, Romanian healthcare workers

Austria welcomed hundreds of extra care workers from Romania and Bulgaria into the country on Monday as part of further recruitment to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak. 231 workers arrived at Vienna airport and are set to support many elderly residents in Lower Austria who need 24-hour care.

According to Robert Pozdena, of the Lower Austria Chamber of Commerce, even more, workers were due to arrive on Monday but some Bulgarian nationals were unable to leave their hometowns despite having permits to go to Austria.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.