5 years later

“How the first coronavirus case got me on satirical TV”

Sami Tüfekcioglu made it onto international satirical TV.(Bild: Screenshot ZDF Heute Show)

Five years ago, the virus also reached Tyrol, and two cases at the Hotel Europa in Innsbruck were also the first in the whole of Austria. The former restaurant manager was right in the middle of the spooky scene and became famous on satirical TV (see video below). Now he tells the "Krone" his story.

For a proud 25 years, Sami Tüfekcioglu was one of the "good souls" in the city's only 5-star hotel, getting to know greats such as Mick Jagger, Bernie Ecclestone and José Mourinho. In January 2020, the (media) world increasingly revolved around a previously unknown virus. "Of course it was a topic of discussion among colleagues, hopefully it wouldn't spread to us through the international guests," Sami recalls the strange atmosphere at the time.