Coronavirus: Main measures taken in Europe

PARIS: Quarantine, schools, shops and borders closed, gatherings banned, here are the main measures being taken in Europe to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Confinement

Italy’s population of 60 million has to stay at home until April 3, but can go out to work, for health reasons or to buy food. In Spain, four parts of the northeastern region of Catalonia have been quarantined, as have two communes in the Austrian region of Tyrol.

Austrians returning from Italy will be confined. People returning from the main coronavirus hotspots must stay at home for two weeks in Croatia, Latvia, Russia and Slovakia, Norway and Russia. Portugal and Spain have banned cruise ships from disembarking, a measure also taken by several Norwegian and French cities. In France, Luxembourg and Portugal visits to retirement homes have been suspended, while Belgium and Sweden have also imposed restrictions.

Borders controlled or closed

The Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Lithuania and Slovakia have announced the almost total closure of their borders to foreigners, with Slovakia making an exception for Poles. Germany has stepped up border controls with France. Ukraine plans to close its borders to foreigners for at least two weeks. Russia will halt flights from the EU yesterday. Poland has imposed health checks at all it borders. Austria has suspended rail links, and almost entirely closed its border with Italy. It has also suspended air links with France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

Several European countries have also suspended flights from Italy. Slovenia has set up health vetting measures at the border with Italy. Switzerland has put strict limits on who can cross over from Italy, and looking at entries from the Schengen zone on a “case-by-case” basis. Serbia on Sunday banned entry for foreign nationals from the worst-hit countries, while neighboring Bosnia announced it was setting up quarantine tents near its borders.

Schools closed

Schools and universities are closed in Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine. Pupils will also stay at home next week in Belgium, Croatia, France, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, and in most German regions.

Gatherings banned

In Belgium, Cyprus and Italy all gatherings have been banned. The Czech Republic has banned meetings of more than 30 people. Denmark and France are to drop the threshold to 100 people. Iceland, from midnight on Sunday, and the Netherlands and Switzerland have outlawed gatherings of more than 100 people as have Austria, Hungary and Romania for indoor meetings, with 500 for those outdoors. Finland and Sweden have set the bar at 500 people.—AFP