The Star Malaysia

France, Germany impose drastic curbs

Leaders to discuss explosive spikes in Covid-19 infections in Europe and worldwide

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PARIS: France was preparing to begin a new month-long national lockdown as Germany imposed drastic new curbs, with European leaders set to meet to discuss the explosive spikes in coronaviru­s infections on the continent.

The pandemic is surging worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of new daily infections taking the known global caseload past 44 million, with nearly 1.2 million deaths.

The dramatic lockdown decision from French President Emmanuel Macron came after worrying infection spikes in Europe that have forced government­s to contemplat­e reinstatin­g stay-at-home orders.

“All of us in Europe are surprised by the spread of the virus,” Macron said in another televised address to the nation during which he stressed that the second lockdown would be less severe than the first.

Bars and restaurant­s are to be closed until at least the start of December, travel between regions will be limited, and citizens will need an authorisat­ion form to leave their homes, he said.

But creches, schools, factories and building sites will remain open.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel ordered a new round of shutdowns from Monday, Nov 2, until the end of the month, although Germans will not be confined to their homes.

Bars, cafes and restaurant­s must close, as well as theatres, operas and cinemas. Hotel stays are to be restricted while profession­al sport, including Bundesliga football, is set to be pushed back behind closed doors.

Ireland had already locked down again last week, and the decisions by France and Germany will likely lead to pressure on other nations to follow suit, including Britain.

EU leaders were to hold a video summit yesterday to discuss the crisis, European sources said on Wednesday, the first in a series of such calls to improve coordinati­on against the virus.

One of the biggest concerns for government­s is public weariness and anger over the economic, social and psychologi­cal costs of the lockdowns.

“It’s a disaster, because I can’t stay at home, because it’s hard and I want to work,” Paris beautician Irina said.

The rising tolls and economic pain have impacted society in a multitude of ways across the world, from remote schooling to office work – and planning for death itself.

In Mexico, which has the fourth-highest coronaviru­s death toll, the pandemic has forced people to draft their wills, which many in the Latin American nation would put off.

“We Mexicans often leave things until ‘manana’ (tomorrow) and don’t like to talk about wills. It’s a bad omen,” said Laura Villa, a 49-year-old financial sector worker and mother of two.

“The pandemic made me decide now’s the time to make a will.”

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