Europe continues to ease restrictions
GERMANY and several other European countries where the coronavirus spread has slowed were moving ahead with relaxing border restrictions, while flare-ups in Mexico and elsewhere served as a reminder the pandemic is far from over.
Slovenia, which has been gradually easing strict lockdown measures, declared that the spread of the virus is now under control and that European Union residents could now enter from Austria, Italy and Hungary.
Germany, meantime, was preparing to open its border entirely with Luxembourg at midnight last night, and increase the number of crossings open from France, Switzerland and Austria. Travellers will still need to demonstrate a “valid reason” to enter Germany and there will be spot checks, but the goal is to restore free travel by June 15.
Germany’s states have also agreed to drop a mandatory 14-day quarantine for travellers entering from the European Union and several other European countries, including Britain, said Armin Laschet, the governor of the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
“Germany will only overcome the corona crisis if European freedom of movement for people, goods and services is fully restored,” Mr Laschet said.
Germany has seen more than 170,000 Covid-19 infections and nearly 8,000 deaths, but more than 150,000 people have recovered and the country has been seeing fewer than 1,000 new cases per day.
Austria and Switzerland were also moving ahead with easing some border restrictions, and Austria reopened all cafes and restaurants.
“I have been having breakfast at this cafe for about 100 years,” said Helmut Gollner, a former literature professor who was one of the first guests yesterday morning at Vienna’s Cafe Sperl. “My wife always made great breakfast but it’s a different atmosphere here with the newspapers and so on.”
Restaurants were reopening in more German states yesetrday as well, and the country was to resume professional football today after a two-month hiatus. The Bundesliga plans five games with no fans present and other precautions, including the Ruhr derby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke.
In the Vatican, moves were under way to deep clean St Peter’s Basilica while Sweden’s prime minister defended his country’s handling of the crisis.
As countries move ahead with relaxing restrictions, the head of the World Health Organisation’s Europe office, Dr Hans Kluge, warned that distancing guidance and other protective measures were more important than ever. “It’s very important to remind everyone that as long as there is no vaccine and effective treatment, there is no return to normal,” he said.
MANY cafes and restaurants have opened again in Sydney as some coronavirus restrictions were lifted, although rainy weather and ongoing fears appeared to keep visitors relatively low.
Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales began allowing cafes, restaurants and places of worship to reopen with up to 10 people on the condition they adhere to social distancing rules. Pubs and clubs were also permitted to open for dining.
State premier Gladys Berejiklian warned people to take personal responsibility, saying that easing restrictions in some other countries had backfired.
“Let’s please do our part in keeping everybody safe so that all of us can keep moving forward so that we never, ever go backwards,” she said.