Virus downsizes Memorial Day events
U.S. expands travel ban as countries in Europe take steps to reopen
Americans marked a Memorial Day like no other as the coronavirus pandemic upended traditional commemorations and forced communities to honour the nation’s military dead with smaller, more subdued ceremonies like car convoys instead of parades.
On the weekend that marks the unofficial start of summer, U.S. authorities warned beachgoers to heed social-distancing rules to avoid a resurgence of the disease that has infected 5.4 million people worldwide and killed more than 345,000, including nearly 100,000 Americans, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
In New York City, fallen military members were honoured with car convoys and small ceremonies this year rather than parades to conform with lockdown restrictions.
“It’s something we’re upset about, but we understand,” said Raymond Aalbue, chair of the United Military Veterans of Kings County, which usually puts on a parade in Brooklyn.
There’s “no reason to put anybody in harm’s way,” he said, adding “it’s really cutting quick to the heart of all the veterans.”
Veterans, along with nursing home residents, have made up a significant portion of those who died in the U.S. outbreak.
After two days of playing golf, U.S. President Donald Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery, where he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which overlooks rolling hills dotted with white tombstones. Trump was scheduled to speak later at a historic fort in Baltimore.
Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. (Jack) Young has criticized Trump’s visit, saying the city cannot afford it and that the trip sends the wrong message about stay-at-home directives.
At the White House, officials slapped a travel ban on Latin America’s most populous nation, saying it would deny admission to foreigners who have recently been in Brazil. The ban, which takes effect Thursday, does not apply to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. With more than 363,000 reported infections, Brazil is second only to the U.S. despite limited testing.
Greece’s low COVID-19 infection rate allowed the government to restart the summer holiday season three weeks earlier than previously planned. In addition to resuming ferries with new passenger limits, it allowed cafés and restaurants to reopen under new social-distancing rules. All this was for
Greek holidaymakers, as foreign tourists are not expected until after June 15.
“We will implement exactly what the state has told us, whatever the doctors have told us, first and foremost for the safety of our customers,” said Spiros Bairaktaris, owner of an Athens restaurant that was reducing capacity from 100 customers to 30.
“Many will come to Greece because we had the fewest number of deaths compared to other countries. And thank God for that,” he added.
Greece, which shut down quickly, has only 171 of Europe’s nearly 170,000 coronavirus deaths and depends on tourism for 10 per cent of its economy.
Islands such as Santorini, Mykonos, Corfu and Samos are major draws for tourists but have been mostly off-limits since late March, when the country’s lockdown took effect.
Hard-hit Spain reached a milestone Monday as half the population — including those in the two biggest cities, Madrid and Barcelona — were finally allowed to gather, albeit in limited numbers. Outdoor seating at bars and restaurants also reopened.
Relaxations went a step further in the rest of Spain, where people can now visit beaches and nursing homes and hold weddings. Spain has recorded 28,700 virus deaths.
In Russia, infections topped 350,000 — the third-highest toll in the world — as health officials reported 9,000 new cases and 92 new deaths, bringing the overall death toll to 3,633. Russia denies allegations that its death rate is suspiciously low, insisting that’s due to its effective containment measures.
As millions of Australian children returned to school, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Monday that students and teachers had to observe one key message: Stay home if you are sick.