Europe prepares to ease lockdowns as signs pandemic ebbing
04 May, 2020
European nations on Sunday prepared for further cautious easing of coronavirus restrictions following signs the pandemic could be slowing, with hard-hit Italy set to check out Spain in allowing people outside after weeks of confinement.
A lot more than 243,000 people have already been killed and 3.4 million infected worldwide by the virus, which has left half of humanity under some kind of lockdown and pushed the global economy towards its worst downturn because the Great Depression.
With signs that the spread of the condition is coming under control, elements of Europe, Asia and america have begun to lift restrictions to try to inject life into economies crippled by weeks of closures and ease the pressure on populations weary of confinement.
After a two-month lockdown, Italians on Monday will be permitted to stroll in parks and visit relatives. Restaurants can open for takeaways and wholesale stores can resume business, but there is some confusion about the extent of the easing.
Romans were doing aerobics on the rooftop terraces and exercising indoors on Sunday and the squares in metropolis centre were mostly empty on the last day Italians were obliged to stay within 200 metres of their homes.
"On the one hand, we're super excited for the reopening, we're already organizing various activities the kids will be able to do with their grandparents outdoors, workshops in the garden, that type of thing. The kids can't wait to see them," said Rome resident Marghe Lodoli, who has three children.
"Alternatively, it's disorientating. The rules aren't clear, and we're not sure if just using good sense will do."
Italian authorities have said some precautionary measures remain needed in a country that has the second-highest number of virus deaths on the planet after the USA.
Several industries including automobile sector and construction have previously restarted work.
But Italy's 20 regions have imposed their own regulations, leading to some confusion over what persons can and cannot do. Veneto and Calabria lifted their lockdowns early and allowed bars and restaurants to open with outdoor tables.
Elsewhere in Europe, Germany will continue its easing on Monday, while Slovenia, Poland and Hungary allows public spaces and businesses to partially reopen.
In another sign of life returning, Germany's minister for the interior and sport said Sunday he supports a resumption of the country's football season this month given that teams respect hygiene conditions.
The British government will unveil its "roadmap" to ease the united states out of lockdown this week, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the united states was "at night peak" of the outbreak.
With health authorities warning the disease could hit hard once more, governments are trying to balance easing up restrictions to help battered economies against the chance of fresh outbreaks.
Despite moves to help ease curbs across the globe, a lot more than 4.6 billion persons remain on some kind of lockdown or obligation to remain confined at home.
Most governments are sticking to measures to control the spread of the virus - social distancing and masks in public areas -- and more testing to attempt to track infections even as they relax curbs on movement.
Face masks will be mandatory on public transport starting Monday in Spain, where people were permitted to go outdoors to exercise and walk freely on Saturday after a 48-day lockdown.
Even as some Europe slowly but surely lift restrictions, officials in Moscow -- the epicentre of the contagion in Russia -- urged residents to remain home.
With cases increasing by several thousand each day, Russia is currently the European country registering the most new infections.
European leaders are backing an initiative from Brussels to improve 7.5 billion euros ($8.3 billion) to tackle the pandemic and raise funds for efforts to discover a vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.
Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel gave their support in an open letter in weekend newspapers.
With pressure growing on governments worldwide to balance public health requirements with the need to ease intense monetary pain, some nations in Asia announced similar easing measures.
South Korea -- once the second worst-hit nation on the planet -- said Sunday it would ease a ban on some gatherings and events provided that they "follow disinfection measures".
Thailand allowed businesses such as for example restaurants, hair salons and outdoor markets to reopen as long as social distancing was maintained and temperature checks completed.
But authorities have cautioned that lots of countries are still not through the worst.
The Philippines suspended all flights into and out of your country for weekly starting Sunday in a bid to ease pressure on its congested quarantine facilities.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced mosques would reopen across large elements of the Islamic Republic, once they were closed in early March to attempt to support the Middle East's deadliest COVID-19 outbreak.
Rouhani warned, however, that while Iran would reopen "calmly and gradually", it will also prepare for "bad scenarios".
U.S. leaders face immense pressure to help ease virus measures as the economy has been hammered with tens of millions left jobless.
The United States has the most coronavirus deaths on the planet and President Donald Trump is keen for a turnaround to help reduce the economic pain.
Florida is set to ease its lockdown on Monday, as authorities in other states wrestle with pressure from demonstrators -- some armed -- who've rallied against the lockdowns.
There are signs that the pandemic is slowing in some elements of the United States.
In New York City, the epicentre of the US outbreak, a crisis field hospital erected in Central Park is defined to close, the Christian charity running it said Saturday, as virus cases decline in the town.
But authorities are cautious with letting their guard down too fast, with fears the virus could wreak havoc in the most vulnerable communities in the usa.
A massive wave of infections is sweeping through America's prison population -- the world's major at 2.3 million -- with coronavirus deaths increasing in jails and penitentiaries in the united states.
Riots over inadequate protection and slow responses by authorities have previously broken out in prisons in Washington state and Kansas.
"Things are beyond breaking point at this facility," said Brian Miller, an officer at Marion prison in Ohio. "At this time it's hell."
Source: japantoday.com
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