Updated: September 18, 2020 10:08:36 pm
A mask left in the Roemerberg Square, which is usually crowded with tourists, in Frankfurt, Germany, on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 (AP Photo / Michael Probst)
Coronavirus cases in Europe: As the global burden of coronavirus cases crossed the 30 million mark and the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of “alarming rates of transmission,” countries in Europe began to implement new restrictions to slow the spread of deadly infection.
After Europe reported a record 54,000 new infections in one day last week, WHO’s regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said the recent increase “should serve as a wake-up call” for the entire continent. AFP.
Although the figures reflect more comprehensive evidence, they also show alarming transmission rates in the region, ”Kluge told a news conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Read: ‘Europe could probably see a second wave of coronavirus in autumn’
According to the WHO, more than five million cases and more than 228,000 deaths have been recorded across Europe since the start of the pandemic.
With most of Europe witnessing an aggressive second wave of coronavirus infections, governments are now in the process of reintroducing restrictions that were previously eased after initial lockdowns.
Here’s a look at the new Covid-19 rules imposed in Europe
UK: ban on socializing with people outside the home and ‘support bubbles’
Coronavirus in Europe: Students and staff queue outside a mobile coronavirus testing unit for asymptomatic staff and students in a parking lot at the University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, England, on Friday, September 18, 2020 (Andrew Matthews / PA via AP)
Amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in northeast England, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that stricter restrictions would be imposed in the region from Friday. Residents in the area are no longer allowed to socialize with people outside their homes and support the bubbles, the AP reported.
Global Coronavirus Updates, September 18: Cases exceed 30 million
Hancock added that leisure and entertainment venues will be closed between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., and table service will only be allowed in restaurants and bars. The new restrictions will affect residents of Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham, The Guardian reported.
The UK is struggling to cope with a sharp increase in cases in recent months. According to Britain’s Health Minister Edward Argar, hospital admissions are doubling every eight days, DW reported. However, UK authorities are reluctant to reveal whether a nationwide lockdown will be imposed next month.
Spain: Masks are still mandatory even for schoolchildren
Coronavirus in Europe: Francisco España, 60, is surrounded by members of his medical team as he gazes at the Mediterranean Sea from a walk next to the “Hospital del Mar” in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday, September 4, 2020. A hospital in Barcelona is studying how short trips to the beach can help COVID-19 patients recover from long and traumatic intensive hospital care. (AP Photo / Emilio Morenatti)
As schools begin to reopen after months of closure, the Spanish government has made it mandatory for all children over the age of six to wear masks in class and in most public places, the BBC reported. However, just as the school year began, the country witnessed a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases, according to an AP report. Masks are mandatory for everyone in most of Spain.
In Madrid, which has quickly become the center of the country’s coronavirus outbreak, local authorities fear that their public health systems may not be able to adapt to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases. Authorities have said that one in five hospital beds is occupied by coronavirus patients, amid a second wave of infections.
A new set of restrictions will be released in the city on Friday, AFP reported. Regional health chief Antonio Ruiz Escudero said the Madrid government was working on a series of measures “to restrict mobility and reduce activity in certain areas … where the virus is more widely transmitted.”
France: no more than 10 people can meet in a public place
Coronavirus in Europe: People wearing protective masks as a precaution against Conoravirus line up for a seat in a bistro along the banks of the Seine River in Paris, Thursday, September 17, 2020. Health Minister Olivier Veran , announced 20 more testing centers across the country as he told a press conference that the virus is “very active again” in France. (AP Photo / Michel Euler)
With France registering more than 10,000 new cases every day in recent weeks, the government has strictly prohibited public gatherings of more than 10 people. Wearing a mask has become mandatory in some heavily affected areas and cities, such as Paris, Marseille and Lyon, the BBC reported.
The use of masks is also mandatory in most French workplaces. The rule applies in factories and offices where multiple people share space.
While bars and restaurants have been reopened with strict health measures, nightclubs remain closed. Stadiums and racetracks were allowed to reopen to the public in July with a cap on the total number of people who can attend an event.
Also read: Virus groups in French universities teach Europe a lesson
On Thursday, the country recorded 10,593 new cases, the most cases recorded in a single day, the BBC reported. Authorities in two of France’s largest cities, Lyon and Nice, have until Saturday to impose new mandates to contain the disease.
Germany: mandatory airport tests for foreign travelers
German Health Minister Jens Spahn removes his mask during a visit to Bethany Hospital to get an update on treatment options for patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and to speak with medical staff in Moers, Germany , August 28, 2020. REUTERS / Leon Kuegeler
Multiple coronavirus test booths have been installed at Germany’s airports to screen travelers from high-risk countries. Travelers arriving in Germany from a high-risk area will need to self-isolate for 14 days, DW reported.
In addition, a minimum fine of 50 euros has been imposed on people trapped in shops or public transport without masks or covers, the BBC reported. The German authorities have also extended the ban on large gatherings until the end of the year.
While the country has registered significantly fewer cases than its neighbors in Europe, health experts fear herd immunity is unlikely on a national scale for now. According to German Health Minister Jens Spahn, herd immunity will be achieved through a coronavirus vaccine, which could possibly be available in mid-2021, AFP reported.
Czech Republic: all bars and restaurants must close at midnight
The Czech Republic is currently enduring the brunt of a second wave of infections, which is much more brutal than the first. In an effort to contain the increase, the Czech government announced Thursday that all bars, restaurants and nightclubs must be closed between midnight and 6 a.m.
Authorities also prohibited more than 10 people from gathering indoors, the AP reported. All meeting attendees must be seated and wearing masks. Each visitor must have a ticket for the seat they are occupying.
The use of masks is also mandatory for all children attending school. Dozens of schools were closed once again after the number of cases began to rise in the country, according to the AP report.
In view of the sudden increase in cases, countries such as Slovakia, Denmark, Switzerland and Great Britain have imposed travel restrictions on people arriving from the Czech Republic.
Belgium: Government launches next phase of reopening
A medical worker in full protective gear takes a nasal swab from a passenger who recently landed to be tested for COVID-19 at a testing center at Zaventem International Airport in Brussels, Thursday, Sept.17, 2020 (AP Photo / Francisco). Dry)
Belgian authorities have started to reopen public places such as libraries, shopping malls, cinemas, museums, religious buildings and public transport. But wearing a mask is still mandatory in almost all public places.
Discos and nightclubs remain closed and large events, such as festivals, are not yet allowed, the BBC reported.
With the stadiums reopening, soccer fans can return to see their favorite sport live once again. However, maximum limits have been set on the number of people who can attend a match.
Netherlands: people were asked to keep a distance of 1.5 meters, even at home
To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Dutch authorities have urged all residents to maintain a distance of 1.5 when people come to visit you at your home. The distance rule also applies in public places, such as shopping streets, parks, and recreational areas.
Several major cities, including Amsterdam and Rotterdam, have chosen to scrap plans that required wearing face masks in public places. Meanwhile, children began returning to the country’s schools in August. While social distancing rules have not been enforced in schools, a number of hygiene measures have been implemented.
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay up to date with the latest headlines
For the latest world news, download the Indian Express app.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
.
