Coronavirus: Main measures taken in Europe
A roundup of the main measures being taken in Europe to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.
– Confinement –
Citizens have been obliged to stay at home in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain, and since Monday in Greece and Britain on Tuesday, except for medical attention, exercise or essential shopping.
France has toughened its confinement regime in place since March 17, closing open-air markets and setting restrictions on exercise.
In Spain, a state of emergency and general confinement in place since March 14 will be extended until April 11.
Austria has extended the strict measures already in place until April 13.
A woman wearing a protective mask is pictured reflected on a window in Stockholm, Sweden, where primary schools, restaurants and bars are open and people encouraged to go outside for a nip of air, while the rest of Europe is in lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, on March 24, 2020. – The country’s milder tone and measures are in stark contrast to the increasingly alarmist cries from many other countries and international agencies, and have sparked a heated debate in the country about whether Sweden is doing the right thing. (Photo by Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP)
Bavaria and Saarland are the only German regional states to order containment.
Turkey has imposed total confinement on people over 65 or suffering from chronic diseases.
– Isolation recommended –
Portugal has declared a state of emergency and asked citizens to stay home.
Moscow’s mayor has ordered retired people and the ill to remain in confinement or go to their holiday homes.
– Controlling, sealing borders –
The European Union imposed on March 17 an entry ban on travellers from outside the bloc for an initial period of 30 days.
It will not affect Europeans returning home, social workers, cross-border workers, or citizens of former EU member Britain.
Hungary and Spain have closed their land borders.
Turkey has closed its borders with Greece and Bulgaria.
Germany has stepped up border controls with several countries, including France, which has reciprocated, only allowing through goods transport and border workers.
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia have closed their borders to foreigners, with Slovakia excepting Poles, who are important for its economy.
Russia has closed its land borders with Norway and Poland.
Austria has closed its border with Italy and Switzerland.
– Closing schools –
Schools have been closed in Austria, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine. In Sweden, high schools and universities are closed.
– Banning gatherings –
In Belgium, Cyprus, France and Italy all gatherings are banned.
In France that will apply to all religious gatherings scheduled for April, including the Christian and Jewish Easter and beginning of Ramadan.
Different countries have set widely different caps on the number of people who can get together.
Germany has banned public gatherings of more than two people for an initial period of two weeks. Britain did the same on Monday and Poland followed on Tuesday.
Sweden has only banned gatherings of more than 500 people.
In Turkey, collective prayers are suspended and places of worship closed.
– Closing businesses –
Austria, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Ukraine have closed all places admitting the public.
Non-essential shops are closed in Andorra, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, which has also closed hotels and tourist accommodation.
Britain on Monday ordered the closure of non-essential shops.
Russia has closed fitness clubs and swimming pools.
– Disrupting transport –
British airlines have grounded most of their fleet.
France has massively reduced long-distance transport and cut rail travel by half.
Public transport has been reduced in Kiev, London, Luxembourg and Paris.
Austria’s air travel is close to zero and it has reduced its rail travel drastically. In Poland international air and rail traffic has been suspended.
Russia and Turkey have drastically cut international air links.
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