[ad_1]
Europe took its first tentative steps toward a return to normalcy on Monday when some countries reopened business.
And several other nations have announced that they are preparing to ease their closure restrictions in the coming days. Spain and Italy, the two European countries hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak, have restarted some industries, while Germany is considering opening schools starting Monday.
Millions of Spanish workers returned to their jobs on Monday after Madrid lifted restrictions on non-essential industries. Employees of builders, cleaners, builders, factories and shipyards were able to return to work as the police distributed millions of masks on the country’s subway, train and bus networks.
Non-essential industries closed two weeks ago when the virus peaked and deaths reached more than 900 per day.
But the relaxation came from registering its lowest number of new infections, 3,477, for more than three weeks, with a daily death toll of 517. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that social distancing and the travel ban did not Essentials will remain, but there could be a “progressive and very cautious relaxation” of the measures “in two weeks”.
Europe took its first tentative steps toward a return to normalcy on Monday when some countries reopened business. In the picture: policemen in protective masks walk at the market in the city of Lienz, Austria
Police officers deliver masks to travelers at the Alcalá de Henares train station, Madrid. The Spanish capital has lifted restrictions on non-essential industries.
Deaths in Spain and Italy represent almost a third of the global figure. But today, Italy also begins a gradual return to normalcy after its surge in new infections slowed to just 2 percent. Their death toll exceeded 20,000 after 566 died Monday, down from a peak of 919 just over two weeks ago.
The country will consider relaxing other measures after nonessential stores, such as bookstores and children’s clothing stores, reopen today.
Social distancing measures, bans on non-essential travel and the closure of non-essential industries will be maintained.
On Monday night, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the country’s closure would last at least until May 11.
In a public television speech, from the Elysee Palace in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the country’s blockade would last at least until May 11.
In a speech to the nation from the Elysee Palace in Paris, he insisted that “hope is coming back,” and the situation has improved in some regions. Admitting that the country had not been ready for the pandemic, he said: ‘Were we ready for this crisis? Clearly not enough, but we did it. ‘
He said the country lacked gloves, hand sanitizer gel and masks, but that the government has begun to control the virus. He added: ‘In the next four weeks, the rules established by the government must be respected. They are not being strengthened or lightened. ‘
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is under pressure to facilitate the blockade measures. Experts urged her to open schools starting Monday and asked that stores and restaurants reopen if social distancing measures are observed.
Germany has managed to keep its mortality rate below 2% due to its superior testability. By contrast, Italy is almost 13 percent.
Several other European countries like Austria, Denmark and the Czech Republic are also ready to loosen their locks.
The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the restrictions should be gradually lifted as the virus slowly “slows down”.
A woman disinfects her hands in Lienz, Austria, and the country is now slowly preparing for its attempts to return to normal.
Millions of Spaniards can resume their ‘non-essential’ jobs as the ‘industrial blockade’ is lifted and the fewest cases are announced for 24 days, while Italy is preparing to open some stores tomorrow.
- Spain is allowing some factory and construction work to resume after two weeks of ‘hibernation’
- Police were handing out millions of face masks to workers returning to subway stations this morning
- The number of new infections fell to 3,477, compared to 4,167 and the lowest in Spain since March 20.
Spain is starting to return to work as nonessential workers, such as factory and construction personnel, were able to resume their jobs after a two-week ban.
Police were handing out millions of masks at Spanish metro stations on Monday when some people returned to work, although the broader coronavirus blockade remains in effect.
Returning individuals include metalworkers, builders, cleaners, factory and shipyard workers, and people involved in sanitation and safety.
A construction union said the resumption of the materials, wood and furniture industries would lead to at least 1.7 million people returning to work, although Monday was a public holiday in some regions of Spain.
The two-week “ hibernation ” of nonessential business was imposed on March 30, making the closure even more difficult than in Britain, where people have always been able to travel if they cannot work from home.
There was more stimulus for Spain, as the number of new cases fell to 3,477, the lowest since March 20. The number of daily deaths also dropped back to 517 after jumping sharply to 619 yesterday.
Meanwhile, Italy will allow bookstores, stationeries and shops selling children’s clothing to reopen tomorrow in the first release of the longest running of the bulls in Europe.
In Denmark, schools and kindergartens will reopen on Wednesday, which will allow some parents to return to work.
Austria is also opening some stores this week, but French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to warn later that the blockade there will last for more weeks.
A police officer delivers a face mask, while also wearing it, at a Madrid metro station on Monday, as some workers were allowed to resume their jobs in Spain.
This graph shows the daily number of deaths from coronavirus in Spain, which fell to 517 on Monday after an alarming increase of 619 yesterday.
The number of new infections announced Monday was 3,477, the lowest number since March 20 and a record low rise of 2.1 percent.
Passengers keep their distance on the Madrid metro, as nonessential workers can return to work on Monday
This graph shows the various restrictions in force in six European countries. Sweden is the only country that still has pubs and restaurants open, allows public gatherings of any size, and keeps primary schools open as usual. Spain lifted the ban on travel to non-essential work, which is still allowed in Britain and other countries for people who cannot reasonably work from home. The UK has no special border restrictions, but several countries only allow residents to enter. Spain does not allow exercise as an excuse to go out. Italy allows walking near the house, but not by bicycle
Spain is lifting its ban on non-essential work today despite concerns from some regional leaders and unions who fear a resurgence of the outbreak.
The country has been under a general blockade since March 14, but the measures were further tightened on March 30, when all non-core businesses closed for two weeks until Easter.
The broader blockade is still in place and likely to be extended, but the government has not extended the business closure.
Watched by a world willing to moderate the economic impact of the blockade, workers and their companies must comply with strict regulations to ensure they are not infected by the virus.
One company, the Burgos-based industrial group Nicolás Correa, said it would take steps to prioritize the health of its staff.
“We will continue to work in shifts, with staggered entrances and exits to avoid concentrations of personnel,” he said, adding that all workers would receive protective equipment.
Police also distributed face masks at train stations, including on Madrid’s metro system.
But only a few passengers entered and left the main entrance of Madrid’s bustling Atocha train station on Monday morning.
Road traffic was also light, with mainly public buses passing. Easter Monday is a public holiday in some Spanish regions, including Catalonia, although not in Madrid.
Some workers expressed their reluctance to return. “He finally convinces himself that we are home for a good cause,” said Benito Guerrero, a 28-year-old communication consultant in Madrid.
“I would not want to go back to work until it is strictly necessary, as that would put my health and that of other people at risk.”
Workers at a construction site in Madrid on Monday after some nonessential economic activities resumed after a two-week suspension
Healthcare workers wearing masks comfort each other during a tribute to a colleague named Esteban who died of coronavirus on Monday outside a hospital in Leganes, Spain.
Several workers meet this morning at a construction site in Madrid, which has been the worst affected part of Spain since the epidemic began.
A man takes a face mask from a police officer before boarding a bus to work in Valladolid, northern Spain, this morning.
Carlos Mogorran Flores, a 27-year-old civil engineer from Extremadura, planned to return to work on Tuesday after the holidays, although he said it was still risky.
“I would have preferred to wait 15 more days confined at home or at least one more week and then return. You are always afraid of catching him and even more knowing that your life may be in danger, or your relatives, ” he said.
‘I live with my parents and my sister and they don’t leave home. That’s what scares me the most.
Returning workers are advised not to share equipment, wear gloves and masks, stay 6 feet apart, and practice social distancing on public transportation.
Other businesses, including bars, clubs, pubs, and restaurants, remain closed and can stay that way for weeks.
Food stores, pharmacies and medical centers, tobacconists, gas stations, pet food and technology stores, Internet commerce and laundries have always remained open.
The loosening occurs despite an increase in new deaths yesterday. A further 619 deaths were announced Sunday, compared to 510 on Saturday, ending three days of declining deaths.
However, the numbers improved again on Monday when the number of deaths fell to 517 again and the number of new cases reached its lowest level for 24 days.
The 3,477 new cases marked an increase of just 2.1 percent, the smallest since the crisis began.
The total number of infections increases from 166,019 to 169,496, while the 517 new deaths bring the figure from 16,972 to 17,489.
The regional leader of Catalonia, the second most affected part of Spain after Madrid, had asked that the closing of the business be extended for two more weeks.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that the country was “far from victory” over the epidemic.
“We are all eager to get back out on the street … but our desire is even greater to win the war and avoid a relapse,” he said.
A woman in a mask accepts another from a municipal police officer at a Madrid metro station this morning
Passengers sit a certain distance aboard a Madrid metro train this morning after some workers were allowed to resume work.
Italy opens bookstores, stationeries and children’s clothing stores.
A handful of stores will open in Italy tomorrow despite the broader blockade that runs until May 3.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says bookstores, stationeries and shops selling children’s clothing can reopen from Tuesday after Easter weekend.
However, factories will remain closed, shattering the hopes of industry bosses who have warned of an economic catastrophe.
There is also some disagreement between the regions. The Lombardy governor says bookstores in his affected region will remain closed, but the Ligurian leader wants some construction sites to be reopened.
Italy has been under a national blockade since March 9, longer than any other European country.
The quarantine measures will continue until at least May 3 after Conte extended them the second time on Friday.
“This is a difficult but necessary decision for which I take full political responsibility,” Conte said at a press conference.
Conte said he would continue to assess the daily trend of COVID-19 infections and “act accordingly” if conditions allow.
Italy’s death toll on Sunday was 431, the lowest since March 19, offering new hope that the worst may have happened in Italy.
The number of new cases has increased by 2-3% per day in the past week, compared to a normal 20-25% at the peak of the crisis.
This chart shows the daily number of deaths in Italy, which fell to 431 yesterday, the lowest number since mid-March.
Denmark to reopen schools and kindergartens on Wednesday
Denmark, one of the first European countries to close, will reopen nurseries and schools for children in first through fifth grade on Wednesday.
Schools and childcare centers have been closed since March 11, along with cafeterias, restaurants, and gyms, which will remain closed.
The ban on gatherings of more than 10 people will remain in effect until at least May 10, while larger gatherings will be banned until August.
‘This will probably be a bit like tightrope walking. If we stay still on the road we could fall and if we go too fast, it can go wrong. Therefore, we must take one cautious step at a time, ‘Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference.
Before the crisis, the country was close to full employment with an unemployment rate of 3.7%, the lowest in more than a decade.
But even with emergency economic measures, Denmark, like many other countries, is still experiencing a rise in unemployment.
Since the country’s containment measures were introduced in mid-March, twice the usual number of people have registered for unemployment every day, according to the Ministry of Employment.
The Danish Industry Confederation already estimates that there are around 10,000 more unemployed in the country than at the height of the financial crisis.
Young people speak to each other remotely during an Easter service at Denmark’s Aalborg airport, where some schools will reopen this week.
Angela Merkel to discuss lifting Germany’s restrictions on Wednesday
Angela Merkel will speak to the leaders of Germany’s 16 states on Wednesday to discuss a possible loosening of the blockade.
The current restrictions will expire on April 19 and the government has yet to say what will happen next.
Merkel has downplayed the possibility of schools opening after the Easter break, saying it would be difficult to maintain social distancing.
The chancellor said last week that a relaxation would depend not only on the latest figures, but also on other criteria, including health care capacity.
Many of the early closure measures, such as school closings, were imposed by the states instead of the federal government in Berlin.
Recent figures showed just 2,537 new infections in Germany, the smallest increase since March 22 and the third consecutive day of decline.
The death toll also declined marginally, from 129 to 126, after peaking at 266 in Friday’s figures.
Germany’s mortality rate of 2.3%, 23 deaths per 1,000 confirmed patients, is markedly lower than in Britain, France, Spain, or Italy.
President Macron apologizes for “not being sufficiently prepared” for the coronavirus battle, saying that the blockade will continue for weeks, but that “happy days are yet to come.”
French President Emmanuel Macron apologized for his government “not being prepared enough” for the coronavirus crisis, as it extended the blockade until May 11.
The head of state said the restrictions that started on March 17 will be applied as strictly as possible until the middle of next month, and that “happy days are expected.”
In a prime-time television address to the nation from the Elysee Palace in Paris, Macron said: “ Therefore, we must continue our efforts and continue to apply the rules.
‘The more they are respected, the more lives will be saved. That is why the strictest confinement must continue until Monday, May 11.
French President Emmanuel Macron apologized tonight because his government “is not sufficiently prepared” for the coronavirus crisis and extended the blockade until May 11.
The head of state said the restrictions that started on March 17 will be applied as strictly as possible until the middle of next month, and that “happy days are expected.”
‘This is the only way to act effectively during this period. This is the condition to further slow the spread of the virus, managing to find available places in intensive care and allowing our caregivers to rebuild their strength. ”
Macron acknowledged that there had been problems with everything from the supply of masks to the protective gel, and that health workers “did not have enough protective equipment.”
“Mistakes were made,” he said.
Were we sufficiently prepared? Obviously not, nobody is prepared for a crisis of this magnitude.
Macron said doctors would be in a position to screen anyone with symptoms before May 11.
“On May 11, we will be able to screen all people with symptoms,” Macron said.
Warning that the new date may not mean a guaranteed withdrawal of the measures, Macron said: ‘May 11 will only be possible if we continue to be civically responsible by respecting the rules and if the spread of the virus has actually continued to slow down. ‘
Referring to closed educational establishments, Mr. Macron said: ‘Starting May 11, we will gradually reopen nurseries, schools, colleges and high schools. Classes will not resume physically until the summer.
“The government, in consultation with the government, will have established special rules to organize time differently, to protect our teachers and our children with the equipment used for higher education students.”
Macron said that the borders with other countries will remain closed until the crisis is resolved.
Yesterday’s death toll of 561 marked a third consecutive day of decline, although France’s figures have been highly erratic, with nursing home data only partially included.
This graph shows the number of coronavirus cases added to the official French government account each day. Yesterday there were 1,613 new cases
This table shows the daily number of deaths. The figures appear to have skyrocketed in the past few days since France began including partial data on nursing homes.
France reported 310 new hospital deaths yesterday in the last 24 hours, compared with 345 the previous day.
The total number of victims of the coronavirus epidemic, including those who have died in nursing homes, now stands at 14,393, the health ministry said.
And for the fourth consecutive day, the number of patients in intensive care decreased with 35 fewer patients, making a total of 6,845 people who need such treatment.
The total number of cases increased just 1,613 between the figures on Saturday and the last update on Sunday, with a total of 93,790 to 95,403.
But officials have warned that the situation remains dire, especially in the Ile-de-France region near Paris, with no quick return to normal in sight.
In the photo: Parisians applauded yesterday on their balcony to support medical workers
France reported fewer COVID-19 deaths in the past 24 hours on Sunday, with 315 hospital deaths on the last day, compared to 345 the previous day.
The confinement has confined the French to their homes for nearly a month, with only brief trips allowed outside for shopping and other essential errands.
Macron did not issue resolutions on specific issues, such as whether the use of masks in public should be generalized, or on tracing and testing.
