Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 3: Time to act: Tackling epidemics and pandemics together (33IC/19/R3) – Austrian Red Cross

Has your State/National Society/Institution incorporated the commitments contained in this resolution into the relevant strategic or operational plans?

The commitments are incorporated into:
Strategy
Operational plan

At the Regional, National, Local level

Explanation:

Austrian Red Cross is following a multi-hazard approach in disaster and crises management. Therefore, we have always been preparing for worst case scenarios (HILPs) and our strategic and operational plans only needed minor adaptation to tackle epidemics and pandemics.

In accordance with paragraph 5 of the resolution, the response as well as preparedness plans were adopted based on data, for example by working with mobility data which was used to track the movement of people and to be able to predict possible hotspots of infections.

Only a few weeks after the resolution was adopted by the 33rd IC, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world and demanded the strengthening of the cooperation between state authorities and Red Cross societies.

From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Austrian Red Cross has been involved in the national crises management which involves every level authority in Austria. In fulfillment of our auxiliary role, a number of advisory and operational support tasks was delivered with the Austrian government.

Furthermore, the auxiliary role to the public authorities was exercised by the Austrian Red Cross as operative organization responding to the pandemic. Furthermore, the AutRC collaborated closely with the authorities on any level in the design of new legislative texts and measures. For example, the Epidemics Act authorizes specially qualified persons – in particular paramedics – to assist the authorities in the response.

Relating to paragraph 8 of the resolution, target-group-specific psychosocial and mental health guidelines and information for numerous target groups were developed to be implemented and distributed during pandemics/epidemics through the federal crises management structure at national level.

Has your State/National Society/Institution been working with other partners to implement the commitments contained in this resolution?

Partner with:
Government and/or public authorities
Humanitarian and development partners (e.g. UN, NGOs etc.)

Examples of cooperation:

Close collaboration with every level of authorities and with other humanitarian and emergency organizations in the country.

Have you encountered any challenges in implementing the commitments contained in this resolution?

With challenges on:
Competing priorities

Details about challenges:

We are dealing with differing perceptions of risks on the federal level. Although a pandemic outbreak was rated as the highest risk in national risk analyses, authorities decided to direct main resources mostly to the preparation of other risks.

Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the work and direction of your State/National Society/Institution?

Type of Impact:
Cooperation between Government/public authorities and National Society has been strengthened
Innovative tools/methodologies have been developed and are utilized

Details about the impact:

In order to be able to fulfil the commitments of the resolution in regards to epidemic and pandemic outbreaks, AutRC only needed to slightly adapt because we are working based on a multi-hazard approach as outlined above.

Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the communities that your State/National Society/Institution serves?

Description of the impact:

As the Austrian RC is literally anywhere in Austria and the main actor in health response, every improvement of our system directly translates into a higher impact on communities.