Europe is tightening measures against Covid-19

The rise in coronavirus disease around the world continues to grow and Europe is setting records. This has led several countries to toughen measures.

Spain, France, the Czech Republic and Poland have declared a state of emergency. Belgium has introduced a strict quarantine, and Greece and Austria have announced a partial quarantine. Germany reported a record number of new cases of COVID-19 and announced new measures as of November 1.

The tightening of the measures has caused clashes between protesters and the forces of order in Barcelona and Florence.

Curfew in Austria from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

From midnight Tuesday to the end of November, a second nationwide quarantine begins in Austria, Reported AFP. The curfew will be in effect from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that this time the measure will not prevent people from leaving their homes.

“People will have the right to go to work, but while the curfew lasts, they will not be able to visit other people.”Kurtz said. He added that frequent meetings are the reason for the rise in infections.

“In Austria, we have seen an exponential increase in the number of new infections in recent weeks, especially in the last seven days.”Kurtz said.

The new measures will affect the gastronomic, hotel and cultural sectors. Restaurants will only be able to prepare food at home, while hotels will only be able to serve business customers.

Museums, theaters, zoos and sports clubs will also close.

“Austria has one of the best health systems in the world, but even we have our borders. If we do not act now, the pandemic will be a burden on intensive care units, as it is happening in other countries.” Kurtz said.

He announced that companies forced to close would be compensated with 80% of their income from last November to pay their employees. He added that the Kurzarbeit program would be expanded (or reduced working hours and pay to avoid mass layoffs).

The schools will remain open, but “we will soon assess whether they also cause a chain of infections.” Kurz said the next few months will be difficult for Austria, but reiterated that life will return to normal next summer once the vaccine is used.

Riots in Barcelona

Protesters clashed with police in central Barcelona after hundreds gathered to protest against new coronavirus restrictions, including a curfew and a ban on leaving the city for the weekend.

A local police spokesman told AFP that more than 700 protesters had attended the rally. It later escalated into violence after a group of about 50 people started throwing dangerous objects at the police.

Dozens of masked protesters chanted “freedom” and threw stones at riot police in riot gear. Twenty police officers were injured in the clashes and 12 people were arrested, police said on Twitter.

At least two establishments were looted and several police cars were damaged.

Despite the numerous restrictions imposed in Spain since the end of July, when the number of people infected by the coronavirus began to rise again, the pandemic continues with renewed vigor. So far, the virus has claimed the lives of 35,000 Spaniards.

Clashes also in Florence

Violent clashes between police and protesters also broke out in the Italian city of Florence on Friday night. About 20 protesters were arrested.

Police prevented nearly 200 people from reaching one of the city’s main tourist squares, the Piazza della Signorina. The fact was not allowed by the authorities, Italian media reported.

Clashes broke out in nearby streets between protesters and riot police. The protesters threw Molotov cocktails, bottles and rocks, overturned garbage cans and smashed closed-circuit television cameras.

“We had a surreal, terrifying and painful night in Florence”, Mayor Dario Nardella wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday. “It is not the way to make demands, it is not the way to make others listen to your complaints. It is just violence in response to violence, and for no reason.”added.

This week there were protests in other Italian cities, such as Bologna, Rome, Milan, Naples and Turin.

On Friday, Italy reported more than 31,080 new coronavirus infections, a new record for the day.

New restrictions in Greece

The new restrictions will take effect in Greece from Tuesday (November 3). They will not be in the whole country, but in regions with a bad epidemiological picture and a growing number of new cases.

The curfew is introduced from midnight until 5 in the morning. They are closing cafes, restaurants, cinemas, theaters, courts, archaeological sites, museums and gyms across the country.

Masks are mandatory everywhere. Half of those working in the public and private sectors are switching to telecommuting, and students will study online. Schools remain open under strict measures.

Mitsotakis said that unlike the first wave of spring, there will now be free movement of citizens without the need to send text messages.

He expressed his hope that if the measures of the November plan show a positive result, the situation could be more optimistic in December and the country could return to more normal conditions.

Germany reported a record 18,861 cases per day

Germany has registered a record 18,681 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, according to the Robert Koch Institute for Disease Control.

Yesterday’s figures were three times higher than the levels recorded during the first peak of the infection in late March and early April, although the volume of tests has increased significantly since then.

The coastal provinces of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which are popular with tourists, have announced that all tourists must leave early next week. No tourists will be received from Monday until the end of November, announced the regional prime minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Manuela Schwezig.

The federal and provincial governments agreed on Wednesday to step up measures to limit contact and close stores for the entire month of November in a bid to contain the coronavirus before Christmas.

Cultural and recreational facilities will also be closed. This applies to both restaurants and bars.

Outdoor gatherings will be limited to members of no more than two households to a maximum of 10 people.

Bundesliga matches will be without spectators. There will be no amateur sports competitions, and gyms, swimming pools, beauty centers, massage parlors, and tattoo parlors will also be closed. The measures will take effect on Monday.

The Czech Republic has extended the state of emergency until 20 November

The Czech parliament has decided to extend the state of emergency imposed from October 5 to November 20 due to the growth of coronavirus patients.

The Czech Republic, with a population of 10.7 million people, is among the European countries with the most severe increase in the number of coronavirus infections in Europe. The country is struggling at one of the fastest growth rates. The total number of cases has risen to more than 280,000 and the death toll exceeds 2,500.

The government of Prime Minister Andrei Babish insisted that the extension be until December 3, but the proposal was not accepted by parliament.