On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that more than 700,000 new cases of coronavirus were registered in Europe last week, a 34% jump from the previous week. The highest weekly increase since the start of the pandemic. Over half of the infections were recorded in UK, France, Russia e Spain. Meanwhile, at the European level, it is pushing for coordination on travel restrictions. The EU Council has adopted a recommendation for a “coordinated approach” to restricting freedom of movement in response to the Covid 19 pandemic. Here are the measures in the main countries.
Traveling in Europe at the time of Covid: a traffic light from the Commission to classify EU countries
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Netherlands
The government blocked the nightlife in the country by announcing drastic measures. Bars and restaurants closed for at least four weeks from today to avoid overcrowding of hospitals. On the other hand, schools remain open, with the obligation of masks: “Education is too important,” he said Mike Rutte.
A cafe in Amsterdam. Employees listen to Rutte live on TV announcing the restrictions
The Netherlands recorded the record number of new infections in 24 hours: more than 7,400, with a progression that has been going on for days. “It hurts but it is necessary, we must be more severe”, said the prime minister on TV announcing a “partial lockdown”. The sale of alcohol will be prohibited even after 8 pm, in an attempt to reduce social contacts. Masks will be mandatory indoors for anyone over 13 years old.
The country currently has the third highest rate of infections per 100,000 inhabitants in Europe, behind only the Czech Republic and Belgium. The government during the first wave adopted a more relaxed policy of restrictions than its European partners.
Czech Republic
It is the most affected European country. The Czech Republic yesterday announced the closure of restaurants and bars and a ban on alcohol in public places. The measures will be in effect from today until November 3, for 3 weeks. “We have only one chance now and we must succeed,” the premier told reporters Andrej Babis, a populist often criticized for his response to the pandemic.
The country recorded four record daily increases last week peaking at more than 8,600 new cases on Friday. The total case balance, updated to yesterday, is about to reach 120 thousand; deaths are more than a thousand. The Czech Republic in the past two weeks has recorded the greatest growth in infections per 100 thousand inhabitants: 493, compared to 398 the week before, surpassing Belgium which has 402.5 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants. “We need to take steps to reverse the trend within two to three weeks, otherwise we will run out of hospital capacity,” said the health minister. Roman Prymula.
France
The new measures in Paris will be known tonight. Emmanuel Macron he will speak to the nation about the worsening health situation in the country and restrictions are expected. Several hypotheses are being studied to stem the spread of the virus. According to sources cited by Rmc e Bfmtv, the president is about to enact a curfew measure in Paris and Ile-de-France on the type of those in Berlin and Frankfurt, starting at 20.
The country has defined the level of alert by dividing it into three zones: alert, maximum alert and critical. France has already adopted partial lockdowns and restrictions. The infections are always high, even if lower: around 13 thousand for a few days. Paris hospitals are likely to reach 90% of their ICU capacities by the end of next week. This was announced by the director of the Aphp group, the French public hospitals.
Germany
In Berlin and Frankfurt the closing of bars and restaurants at 11 pm has already been in force for a few days. The measur will last until 31 October. Angela Merkel and the mayors of the 11 major German cities, however, have agreed to impose new restrictions if infections exceed the weekly threshold of 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Restrictions that may include stricter rules on face masks, restrictions on private gatherings, curfew times and restrictions on the purchase of alcohol. There are more than five thousand new infections in the last 24 hours: it is the first time since April. This was reported by the Robert Koch Institut. And 620 patients are hospitalized in intensive care.
England
Johnson two days ago announced a simplified alert system, on three dynamic levels. “Level 1” includes restrictions in place nationwide, including London, including a “curfew” of pubs and restaurants at 10pm and no gatherings of more than six people. Level 2, which involves much of the North of England including Manchester and Newcastle, adds the limit of two households in contact. Finally, Level 3, intended for the areas of the North most affected by the virus such as Liverpool, requires the lockout of bars, pubs, gyms, casinos and betting centers, for at least four weeks, renewable. Save the restaurants and pubs that serve meals. Contacts with other families, travel and any form of hospitality are forbidden.
Shocking images arrived yesterday from the city of maximum alert, Liverpool. A huge crowd, to celebrate the last hours of “freedom” before the closing scheduled for today, poured into the street without masks and without respecting the distance.
WATCH: Scenes in Liverpool city centre as people take to the streets just hours before the city region goes into Tier 3 lockdown restrictions.
I wonder how @MetroMayorSteve and @mayor_anderson feel about this. @SkyNews pic.twitter.com/mYUN9AsBGy
— Inzamam Rashid (@inzyrashid) October 13, 2020
northern Ireland
One of the UK’s toughest lockdowns begins today: 4 weeks for pubs and restaurants, two weeks for schools. A radical move decided by the first minister Arlene Foster. The health minister on Friday raised the alarm: the situation is getting worse day by day and forces you to take severe measures. Take away and food delivery services will remain open. Citizens were urged to avoid unnecessary travel and to work from home. Universities will need to operate remotely as much as possible.
Spain
The Generalitat of Catalonia has decided today to close all bars and restaurants for 15 days. They will only be able to work for the takeaway sales service. The drastic decision follows the alarm launched a few days ago by the health authorities, which warned the region, of which Barcelona is part, that in two weeks they would reach the numbers of Madrid, the most affected area in Spain. The restaurant workers, at the table with the government, are on a war footing. They reject the provision and threaten to disobey the measures with protest movements in the Plaça de Sant Jaume, where the headquarters of the Generalitat is located.
The epidemic situation in Catalonia has worsened in the last 24 hours: 279 infections per 100 thousand inhabitants against 489 in Madrid. 1,620 new infections, 23 deaths and 40 new hospitalized (at the moment there are 1,024 Covid patients hospitalized, 189 of them in intensive care, 17 more than yesterday, the same number as of May 26).
The capital, the epicenter of diffusion, is in partial lockdown. The measures, which affect 3.8 million people in the Spanish capital and eight neighboring cities, include a ban on non-essential travel except for work, school or health reasons. Spain, together with the United Kingdom, France and Russia, accounts for half of the new infections. But compared to other countries, it signals a sharp slowdown in positives. With over 50,000 cases recorded in the last week, “it is showing a significant decline in the weekly incidence of cases and deaths, respectively by 24% and 19%”.
Denmark
The restrictions have already been in place since mid-September. But those that were valid only for the capital, have now been extended to the rest of the country: restaurants and bars will have to close at 22, the use of masks will be mandatory not only to enter the premises, but also to sit. In principle, the measures will remain in effect until 31 October. Meetings with over 50 people cannot be overcome, with the exception of events organized in rooms with very large capacities in which adequate hygiene measures have been adopted. Telework and reduction of social contacts recommended. Denmark was among the first countries in Northern Europe to introduce restrictions on public life and contain the infection relatively quickly, but in recent weeks it has seen a surge in new infections, especially in Copenhagen.
Greece
The Greek authorities have introduced a series of restrictions for travelers until 25 October, including the suspension of flights to and from Catalonia and Turkey. Half of the cases are concentrated in the Athens area and this is where the most severe restrictions are in force: bars and restaurants closed from 10pm and cinemas closed.
Iceland
New restrictions have also been implemented in Iceland. On 3 October the Icelandic government declared a state of emergency and the new measures came into force on the 4th. A limit of 30 people in schools and universities, 50 for funerals and for competitive sports; maximum capacity of 100 people in shops of less than one thousand square meters and a limit of 100 spectators at outdoor sports matches. Closed at 10pm for bars and restaurants. The country is not among the most affected and has not had new cases for a few days.
Belgium
Maximum alert in the capital, among the most affected European cities together with Paris and Madrid, with a positivity index that exceeds 423 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in the last two weeks. The average positivity of tampons in the Belgian capital is 14.7%. Between 6 and 12 October last, hospitalizations increased by 68.4% and people in intensive care are now 267. The Belgian authorities have asked citizens to have a maximum number of contacts, outside the family, to no more than 3 people in one month. Total closure of bars and cafes in Brussels for a month starting from 7 October. Partial closure also for sports halls and gyms and at 11pm for other catering establishments in the rest of the national territory.
A bar in the university town of Louvain-La-Neuve
The Belgian provinces of Walloon Brabant and Luxembourg have imposed a curfew from one in the morning to six in the morning to stem the increase in infections from Covid.
Russia
In the last 24 hours, Russia has recorded more than 14 thousand infections and 240 deaths and is the fourth most affected country in the world. Authorities in 35 out of 85 regions have approved measures and restrictions in an attempt to slow the spread of the infection. But the mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin he described the capital’s restrictions as “light”, urging citizens to be careful pending the arrival of a vaccine. On Monday in Moscow, online teaching will be introduced for most students. The measure will apply for a two-week period, the mayor said in a post on his profile.
The timeline
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