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Much of Europe locked away: Slovakia chooses a special route
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Germany raises the chair again
Now the time has come: to significantly reduce crown numbers again and ease clinics, the second partial lockdown will be applied nationwide starting Monday. Not only do citizens fluctuate between understanding, frustration, and concern.
More and more countries in Europe are shutting down everyday life in light of the rapid spread of the corona virus. In many places it already appears that the closure could take longer than originally planned. An overview.
AIn view of the dramatically increasing number of corona infections, more and more European countries are closing public life again. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a second lockdown in England on Saturday, which should last four weeks. However, just a day later, his secretary of state warned of a possible extension. A night curfew will be applied in Austria from Tuesday, Portugal and Greece have also imposed partial closures. Meanwhile, Slovakia has started nationwide crown testing for the entire population.
“Now is the time to act because there is no alternative,” said British Prime Minister Johnson. The coronavirus is spreading “even faster than the worst-case scenario from scientific advisers.” Immediately before the announcement of the new lockdown, the number of corona infection cases in Britain had passed the one million threshold, after nearly 22,000 new infections were reported in 24 hours.
The lockdown in England begins on Thursday and is limited to December 2. Schools must remain open. The opening of basic supply stores is allowed, the population must stay at home in addition to going to work, school or the doctor.
In Paris, officers on horseback follow Corona regulations
Quelle: Getty Images / Kiran Ridley
Johnson’s Secretary of State Michael Gove warned Sunday that the shutdown could last more than four weeks. If he fails to reduce the infection rate, the government will maintain strict measures, he told Sky News.
Britain has the highest number of corona deaths in Europe with more than 46,000 deaths. According to documents from the government’s scientific advisory group on emergencies (Sage), the number of infected people and hospital admissions could soon exceed worst-case estimates. The worst-case scenario resolved in July led to another 85,000 deaths in a second wave of winter infections.
The Czech Republic is considering closure for Christmas
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced another shutdown until the end of November. As in Germany, restaurants, cultural and sports facilities are affected. Retail can remain open, as can kindergartens and schools. However, high school and college students must switch to distance learning. There is also a nightly curfew between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
A partial lockdown will also be applied in Greece starting Tuesday with the closure of restaurants, cafes, museums and cinemas. In Portugal, a partial blockade comes into force on Wednesday, which applies to around three-quarters of the population. In the affected municipalities, citizens are required to retire to their apartments, but are allowed to go to work if it is not possible to carry out the home office and take their children to school. Stores must close no later than 10 pm
The Czech Republic extended the Corona-related state of emergency until November 20. The closure could last until Christmas. In fairness, that has to be said, Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said on Czech CT television on Sunday. The return to normality is not a matter of days, but of weeks and months.
Slovakia is taking a special route: nationwide crown testing for the entire population started there on Saturday. At around 5,000 testing centers across the country, around 45,000 medical professionals, soldiers and police officers were available to give all citizens age 10 and older free rapid tests.
Prime Minister Igor Matovic said “hundreds of lives” could be saved by the massive tests. If it is successful, it also sees it as a role model for other countries: the whole world will closely follow the experiment. Slovakia, with a population of around 5.4 million, is the first country of its size to test its entire population.
In Spain, meanwhile, discontent is growing over the crown’s restrictions. There, protesters clashed with police over the weekend, injuring people and making arrests. Similar protests had already occurred in Italy last week.
