Coronavirus: Lockdowns, curfews and divisions in Europe
Across Europe, officials have been strengthening actions to prevent hospitals and health systems from becoming completely overwhelmed by the surge in coronavirus cases.
British lawmakers approved a new lockdown in England, in which people will be asked to stay home, with exceptions for school, certain jobs, food shopping or exercising. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced scalding criticism from the opposition who said he waited too long to act — and from others saying he went too far.
Mr. Johnson told Parliament on Wednesday that there was no alternative to a monthlong lockdown if the country wanted to avoid a “medical and moral disaster.” Britain has reported more than 60,000 deaths in total.
In Italy, a 10 p.m. curfew begins on Thursday, but the government aims for a targeted approach rather than a national lockdown. That hasn’t worked for countries like Germany and France, which had to resort to lockdowns in the end.
The scene: Discontent is mounting in Italy, with restaurant and bar owners taking to the streets in recent weeks. In France, a tense exchange took place in the National Assembly. The health minister, lashing out at critics of an extension of the state of the emergency, described hospitals filling and young people in critical care. “That’s the reality,” he said. “If you don’t want to hear it, get out of here.”
Here are the latest updates and maps of the pandemic.
In China: Getting into the country will become even harder in Saturday, when new government rules require travelers to obtain not just a nucleic acid test for the coronavirus but also a blood test for antibodies against the virus, both performed less than 48 hours before departure and both needing approval by a Chinese embassy or consulate.
The New York Times
