Vienna cafe owner reflects on new virus rules

Austria is bringing in stronger measures against coronavirus from Monday, with a 10pm closing hour for the hospitality sector.

This will affect New Year's events, and will come as a blow for many business owners.

Ronald Hellerschmied, the owner of Cafe City X in central Vienna, urged people to stick to COVID rules so that the sector can reopen properly as soon as possible.

"An earlier closing hour always means less business, it's getting harder and harder," he told The Associated Press.

The country is still in a lockdown for all unvaccinated people as a surge in coronavirus cases across the continent due to the omicron variant continues.