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Bulgaria seals the capital
Sofia, the Bulgarian capital, has been locked up for an unlimited period in the fight against the coronavirus just before the Orthodox Easter holiday. Under orders of the Minister of Health, vehicles, for example from the police or the ambulance, are only allowed to leave or drive to the city in exceptional cases.
Despite the state of emergency that had been in place since March 13, many Bulgarians had driven out of the city of Sofia by car in the past two days, providing false information. Now, just before Orthodox Easter on April 19, the government reacted to poor citizen discipline. The places of worship in the poorest country in Europe have yet to remain open. The faithful were called to pray at home.
Trump: back to normal in three phases
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced how the crown measures should be relaxed to gradually restart the American economy. Your plan provides for a three-stage return to normal when certain criteria are met in the states or regions of the United States. The guidelines do not contain a precise schedule.
American citizens should return to work if circumstances permit, Trump said at a White House press conference. States must proceed step by step. If the governors of the states of EE. USA They believe that the measures cannot yet be alleviated, they should abandon them. Trump paddled again. On Monday, he had said he had “all-encompassing power” in reopening the United States.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, plans to reopen the country’s economy in three phases.
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Swiss Solidarity raises CHF 10 million in one day
On Swiss Solidarity Day, around 10.2 million Swiss francs were raised as of Thursday night. Donations will benefit people in Switzerland who are at risk of poverty or hunger due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Since March 23, a total of 27.7 million Swiss francs has already been raised for people particularly affected by the health, economic and social effects of the crisis. So far, around 6 million Swiss francs have been paid for emergency aid, bridge aid and food aid in Switzerland.
The EU supports WHO
The European Union clearly contradicted the President of the United States, Donald Trump, in his criticism of the World Health Organization (WHO). EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Josep Borrell had promised WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus all support at this crucial moment, said after a phone call between the two. The coronavirus pandemic must continue to be fought multilaterally.
Borrell is concerned about the United States freeze on WHO contributions. I wanted to try to mobilize additional funds. According to a WHO call, the EU had already made 114 million euros available in this crisis.
Gyms and sports clubs are now in demand
Sports and leisure facilities in the fight against the coronavirus in Switzerland should remain closed until at least May 11. Sports facilities have to develop concepts on how they want to comply with the distance rules and regulations of the authorities. Openings will be decided in the coming weeks. Since gatherings of more than five people are still prohibited, at least in the first two opening phases, for example, regular soccer training is not allowed. Such training could take place from June 8 at the earliest. A continuation of the football championships with ghost games should not be possible beforehand.
The Swiss Football League (SFL) will discuss the implications for Swiss professional football in the coming days. Together, the guidelines for possible next steps would be developed under high pressure. “These are organizational questions about the resumption of training in clubs and the possible holding of ghost games,” the SFL writes in a message.
The Federal Council has not yet decided on the main events. It is clear that they will only be allowed in a final phase. However, like other countries, it refrained from setting a date as early as possible, for example in late August.
Donald wants to report to Trump at midnight
On Friday night, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, wants to present his long-awaited guidelines to ease the measures against the coronavirus epidemic. There was a press conference at 6:00 p.m. (US East Coast local time; midnight CEST), he tweeted. State governors should receive the recommendations, he said later. At first, no details were known. Government officials said the recommendations would be flexible, based on data on the course of the disease. Medical experts from the government’s Corona crisis team accepted the recommendations.
In the United States, as in other countries, the best time to relax restrictions in the fight against the pandemic is being discussed. Government policies in
Washington is valid until April 30. While Trump may have been campaigning for a faster “United States opening” since May 1, critics urgently warn against taking early action.
“This is a happy day for our nursery”
Garden centers, florists and garden centers can reopen from April 27, as announced today by the Federal Council. “It is a happy day,” said Manfred Grieb, owner of the Grieb nursery in Düdingen (FR). He had to compost 300,000 plants, it hurts. “I often had tears in my eyes when I walked through the greenhouses. But now we’re going full speed again, “says Grieb.
Brazil’s Minister of Health fired
“I have been fired,” wrote Brazil’s Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta on Twitter. A week-long power struggle was waged between him and President Jair Bolsonaro. Although Bolsonaro always minimized the risk of the corona virus, Mandetta imposed strong restrictions.
Both made their positions publicly clear in press conferences and television interviews, after which their relationship deteriorated in recent weeks. “Brazilians do not know whether to listen to the president or the minister,” Mandetta said on the popular television program “Fantástico” on Sunday. Bolsonaro had accused Mandetta of “lack of modesty.” Mandetta’s release had long been anticipated in Brasilia politics. Cancer doctor Nelson Teich was changed as the successor.
Questions open before schools reopen
On May 11, the schools reopen. “We are happy if we can return to normal operations,” says Dagmar Rösler, president of the LCH teachers association, when the Federal Council announced. Until then, however, “many” open questions would have to be answered: “Do all children come to school together? Do we teach in half classes or small groups? How can teachers protect themselves?”
According to the survey, around 20 percent of tourism companies have to close
Around 25,000 Swiss restaurants have not received guests for weeks; hotels and other tourism-dependent sectors are also suffering greatly from the crown crisis. How things will go is unclear, even after the Federal Council relaxation measures announced today. Andreas Züllig, head of the Hotelleriesuisse association, told SRF: “The non-decision of the Federal Council is poisonous for tourism in general. We do not have planning security, we do not know when and under what circumstances we can reopen. We have conducted a survey, 20-25 percent of companies already assume they have to file for bankruptcy. This really hits us in the neck.
“I would like to see a clearer strategy for masks”
Epidemiologist Marcel Salathé of ETH Lausanne is critical of the Federal Council’s cautious approach to the mask requirement in the SRF special program on the crown crisis. “It is clear that the masks bring something. It irritates me that there is still discussion about it. I don’t see why it isn’t faster here, “he says in an interview with Mario Grossniklaus.
Swiss Solidarity raises 6.5 million in one day for Corona victims
On Swiss Solidarity Day, almost 6.5 million Swiss francs were collected at night. Donations will benefit people in Switzerland who are at risk of poverty or hunger due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since March 23, a total of almost 24 million Swiss francs has been raised for people particularly affected by the health, economic and social effects of the crisis. So far, around 6 million Swiss francs have been paid for emergency aid, bridge aid and food aid in Switzerland.
Aid goes through Caritas Switzerland and the Swiss Red Cross. The Salvation Army, Pro Infirmis, cantonal and inter-cantonal organizations Pro Senectute, the Swiss Organization for Aid to Workers SAH, Winter Aid and the umbrella organization of women’s shelters in Switzerland and Liechtenstein DAO were also able to expand their support to people in need.
Interview with Berset: “Actually we had very few masks, now we have to catch up”
After four weeks with the “extraordinary situation”, the Federal Council today described an exit scenario. In three stages, its objective is to normalize business and coexistence. The Federal Council is highly praised for its approach, but it also has to accept criticism on some points. In an interview with Christoph Nufer, Health Minister Alain Berset defended the cautious measures taken so far: “This is a very difficult phase: we are relaxing, but very carefully, to avoid a further increase.”
There is no Russian military parade at the moment to defeat Hitler Germany.
The commemoration of the victory in World War II, which was planned in particularly detail this year in Moscow, will also be a victim of the Corona pandemic for the time being. The 75th anniversary was supposed to be celebrated on May 9 on a significantly larger scale and with a major military parade on Red Square. President Vladimir Putin expected numerous heads of state and government to do so. He announced that he would do the celebration later in the year.
Reuters
Special broadcast on the corona virus at 8.05 p.m.
This afternoon after the “Tagesschau” there will be another special program on Corona with the moderator Mario Grossniklaus. You can watch the live stream on SRF 1 and here on the stream. Together with the epidemiologist Marcel Salathé of the ETH Lausanne and the economic historian Tobias Straumann of the University of Zurich, Grossniklaus classifies the flexibilization of the Federal Council from an economic and scientific perspective. In addition, it will also involve representatives from industry, gastronomy and school managers to deepen the impact on their industries.
Is the second stage too early?
“The gradual loosening of the crown measurements is obvious. However, the fact that step two, with an opening for all stores and a partial opening of schools, should take place on May 11 raises questions. After two weeks, it is still not entirely clear what the consequences of the initial first step were, ”writes Nathalie Christen, Parliamentary Editor at SRF.
New York is inactive for at least another month
In the US state of New York, which was particularly affected by the crown pandemic, strict exit restrictions have been extended until mid-May. Among other things, they stipulate that people should stay home as much as possible; non-core companies must remain closed.
Meanwhile, however, signs of a change in the crisis are also growing in the state. The number of patients in hospitals decreased again today, as did the number of patients in intensive care units and ventilators. However, almost 2,000 new infections were found, 606 people died since yesterday.
Reuters
No Super League games yet
The fact that gathering more than five people at the moment is also banned means that sports teams are still unable to start regular training operations. Following today’s Federal Council decision, this will only be possible on at least June 8. It’s also clear that even spectatorless ghost games are unthinkable.
The Swiss Football League (SFL) plans to discuss the effects on professional football in the coming days. “What this gradual relaxation means for the SFL and its clubs in detail is not yet clear at present and therefore cannot yet be discussed,” the SFL said.
Even spectatorless ghost games are initially excluded from Swiss football.
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Almost 10 million people infected in Africa?
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the number of people infected in Africa could increase to ten million in three to six months. However, according to the chief of WHO’s emergency staff in Africa, Michel Yao, this is a preliminary assessment that may still change. For example, the worst fears about the development of the Ebola virus have not been realized due to people’s habits.
It would have changed quickly.
According to official figures, 17,000 people in Africa are currently infected with the virus, 900 of them.
died of it.
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Britain extends restrictions
The UK extends existing restrictions for at least another three weeks. Loosening them now in any way would risk the public
Damaging health and the economy, says Dominic Raab. The Secretary of State conducts business as Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to recover from his Corona illness.
