Protesters on streets in us over lockdown restrictions
AS COUNTRIES consider how to restart their virus-halted economies, early experiences in China and parts of Europe show it will be no easy task.
Workers back on the job are wary of spending much or going out; shoppers are staying away from the few reopened shops; masks and social distancing measures are not fading; and many fear coronavirus could return if lockdowns meant to stop its spread are eased too much, too quickly.
The World Health Organisation’s European chief said optimism that the spread of the virus was declining in Italy, Spain and France was tempered by the knowledge that it was rising or sustained at a high level in Britain, Russia and Turkey.
“The storm clouds of this pandemic still hang heavily over the European region,” Dr Hans Kluge said.
The International Monetary Fund says fallout from what it calls the “Great Lockdown” will be the most devastating since the Great Depression in the 1930s.
That has made leaders all the more anxious to send people back to work and school and to rebuild economies devastated by the pandemic that has infected more than two million people and claimed more than 137,000 lives, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Italy’s hardest-hit region of Lombardy is pushing to relaunch manufacturing on May 4, the day that the national lockdown is set to lift.
Regional officials are considering ordering companies to stagger opening hours to avoid cramming public transport.
But Italy’s deputy economic development minister, Stefan Buffagni, called the plan premature.
“Going in a random order risks fueling confusion among citizens and businesses,” Mr Buffagni said.
In China, where the virus first emerged in December, even people who still have jobs have been wary of spending much or going out.
Some Chinese cities tried reassuring consumers by showing officials eating in restaurants.
The US began issuing one-time payments this week to tens of millions of people as part of its $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package.
Despite the relief cheques,
Americans have begun to protest the virus restrictions that have put at least 17 million out of work, closed factories and brought many small businesses to their knees.
In Michigan, hundreds of flag-waving protesters have driven past the state’s Capitol to show their displeasure with Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s orders to keep people at home and businesses locked during the coronavirus outbreak.
As snow fell, others got out of their vehicles and raised signs, one of which read, “Gov Whitmer We Are Not Prisoners”. Another said, “Michigander Against Gretchens Abuses”.
Hours later, Gov Whitmer hit back, telling reporters that the rally put health at risk.
The “Operation Gridlock” protest was organised by the Michigan Conservative Coalition.
“This arbitrary blanket spread of shutting down businesses, about putting all of these workers out of business, is just a disaster. It’s an economic disaster for Michigan,” coalition member Meshawn Maddock said. “And people are sick and tired of it.”
Gov Whitmer, a Democrat, extended a stay-home order through April 30 and has shut down schools and businesses deemed non-essential.
The governor acknowledged the pain but said the restrictions were necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which causes a respiratory illness that has killed more than 1,900 Michigan residents and overwhelmed hospitals in the Detroit area.
Gov Whitmer said she was “really disappointed” to see protesters close together without masks.
“I saw someone handing out candy to little kids barehanded,” the governor told reporters.
“People are flying the Confederate flag, and untold numbers who gassed up on the way here or grabbed a bite on the way home. We know that this rally endangered people.
“This kind of activity will put more people at risk and, sadly, it could prolong the amount of time we have to be in this posture.”
During the rally, Republican House Speaker Lee Chatfield, who has urged Gov Whitmer to amend her orders, waved an American flag from a window at his Capitol office.
The protest came just hours before US President
Donald
We are ‘in a very strong position to finalise guidelines for states on reopening the country’
Trump said he was prepared to announce new guidelines allowing some states to quickly relax social distancing measures.
Mr Trump’s comments came despite business leaders telling him they need more coronavirus testing and personal protective equipment before people can safely go back to work.
The new guidelines, expected to be announced by this morning, are aimed at clearing the way for an easing of restrictions in areas with low transmission of Covid-19. The ultimate decisions will remain with governors.
Mr Trump said: “We’ll be opening some states much sooner than others.” But in a round of calls with business leaders earlier in the day, he was warned that a dramatic increase in testing and wider availability of protective equipment will be necessary for the safe restoration of their operations.
The new guidelines come as the federal government envisions a gradual recovery from the virus, in which disruptive mitigation measures may be needed in some places at least until a vaccine is available – a milestone unlikely to be reached until next year. Mr Trump said at his daily briefing
President Trump