Europe: countries are beefing up their responses to the coronavirus epidemic

Text by: RFI Follow

Borders close one by one, nearly 100 million Europeans now confined: EU leaders are taking increasingly drastic measures to try to halt the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic . On Saturday March 14, Spain also decided to isolate almost all of its inhabitants.

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After Italy , Spain, the second most affected country in Europe , took a radical decision on Saturday March 14: the entire population is in near-total quarantine. The state of alert was decreed there for 15 days and the Spanish have the right to go out only to get supplies or to be treated.

Cancellation of Holy Week

Several cities, including Seville, canceled the Holy Week processions in early April, which generally attract tens of thousands of tourists from around the world. The same goes for the Vatican: Easter celebrations will take place without the faithful .

The curtain is down for restaurants, bars , nightclubs, cinemas, schools and universities in France and Luxembourg. In the Netherlands, even brothels and coffee shops are affected and in Ireland, pubs close on Monday, March 16 in the evening.

In Austria, it is prohibited to gather more than five and the population is called upon to limit their movements to what is strictly necessary. The police patrol the streets there and can fine recalcitrant people.

" Disaster situation "

In Germany , where the borders are partially closed, several regions are taking steps to restrict movement. In Bavaria, the authorities intend to declare a " disaster situation " in order to be able to mobilize additional means, such as the use of the army in hospitals.

A state of emergency was declared in Serbia, where President Aleksandar Vucic explained that he " closed life to save life ".

Our selection on SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

• Explanation: Why the WHO declares the Covid-19 epidemic a pandemic
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• Practical questions:
→ Who are the vulnerable people ?
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→ What treatments ?

Find all our articles, reports, chronicles and programs on the coronavirus by clicking here .

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• Coronavirus
• France
• Serbia
• Germany
• Health and Medicine
• Netherlands
• Spain

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