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VIENNA: A series of new restrictions was announced or went into effect on Saturday to reduce a second wave of coronavirus infections from Austria to Greece, from Italy to Portugal, as the global death toll surpassed 1.3 million.
More than 53 million have been infected worldwide by COVID-19, which is spreading across the Americas and Europe, forcing governments to take more drastic action despite potential economic devastation.
Austria joined a growing trend announcing that schools and non-essential shops will close from Tuesday, after imposing a partial closure two weeks ago.
“There are still many who say that infections do not occur at school, in stores or in toilets,” said Chancellor Sebastien Kurtz.
“But the truth is that authorities can no longer track 77 percent of new infections, which means they no longer know where the contamination is occurring.”
Greece, which struggles with a saturated national health system, announced it would close all schools after imposing a nationwide night curfew starting Friday.
“Closing primary schools was the last thing we wanted to do. This is a measure of the seriousness of the situation,” said Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias. The secondary schools were already closed.
Greece has ordered the closure of all schools. (Photo: AFP / Sakis MITROLIDIS)
READ: Greece closes schools as hospitals are overwhelmed
In Italy, the regions of Tuscany and Campania, of which Florence and Naples are the respective capitals, sank into “red zones” of heavy restrictions, now covering 26 million of the 60 million inhabitants.
“There is no other way if we want to reduce the death toll,” said Health Minister Roberto Speranza, while the death toll in the country rose by 544 to 44,683, one of the worst in Europe.
New antivirus restrictions also came into force in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Romania suffered a tragedy when ten COVID-19 patients died and seven more were seriously burned after a fire broke out in an intensive care unit in the northern city of Piatra Neamt.
READ: Romania: Fire in intensive care unit COVID-19 kills 10
Beyond Europe, Lebanon entered a new two-week lockdown, with hospitals in the crisis-ravaged country nearly at capacity.
Bars in New York, the epicenter of the spring outbreak in the United States, were ordered to close at 10 p.m. starting Friday. Schools could move to online-only teaching starting Monday.
The United States, the country hardest hit by COVID-19, recorded 188,858 more cases and 1,596 more deaths on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
“DO NOT KILL THE ECONOMY”
Several German cities witnessed protests against the forced use of masks, and police used water cannons to disperse nearly 1,000 people in Frankfurt.
The French resort on the Nice Riviera saw 1,500 people take to the streets to demand more consistent restrictions to combat the disease.
READ: Paris boulevards are deserted as COVID-19 shutdown reclaims Christmas shopping trade
READ: New COVID-19 cases and deaths increase dramatically in France
Hundreds of protesters also demonstrated in Portugal, defying the weekend curfew imposed on seven out of 10 of the population of 10 million.
The curfew prohibits driving on public roads after 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
“The pandemic is underway and we have to be protected, but without killing the economy,” said Carla Torres, 33, who works in Lisbon’s hotel industry.
READ: ‘I can’t anymore’: Lisbon bar and restaurant workers protest amid COVID-19 rules
Poland became the latest country to report record numbers with 548 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours, just days after the government decided not to introduce a nationwide quarantine.
Raising pessimism, the European Medicines Agency added to the growing hopes that an effective vaccine will soon be available.
The EU body said it expected to give a favorable opinion on a vaccine by the end of the year if the test results came back positive.
But even if the testing and distribution hurdles are overcome, there is another challenge: Will people get vaccinated?
“My fear is that not enough French are vaccinated,” French Prime Minister Jean Castex told Le Monde newspaper.
French restaurant and bar owners announced legal action against government measures that have closed them since late October.
Castex, warning that governments had to push themselves long-term, took to Twitter to respond to a parent who had posted a child’s drawing addressed to Santa Claus.
“Tell him that we are working hard so that Santa Claus can make his purchases in France in December. If we respect social distancing we will get there,” insisted Castex.
READ: Czech crematories feel the strain of the high death toll from COVID-19
DIWALI DIMMED
In India, the pandemic and chronic pollution cast a shadow over Diwali celebrations for hundreds of millions of people at the biggest Hindu holiday of the year on Saturday.
In smog-shrouded capital New Delhi, firecrackers were banned for the Festival of Light and, while people still packed markets, traders said COVID-19 had scared shoppers out of spending.
With 8.7 million cases, India has the second highest coronavirus infection count in the world behind the US.
The lights were off at the Vineet Garg jewelery and gold store near Connaught Place in Delhi, despite the “open” sign.
“It is a waste of electricity to turn on the lights,” he said. “People don’t buy in stores … They are too preoccupied to have fun.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is the latest star footballer to have been forced into isolation at home after testing positive after his brother’s wedding in Egypt.
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