• Spain in national mourning commemorates the 27 thousand victims of the virus
  • Sweden in Covid's sights with over 4000 dead. In Spain the contagion curve flattens out
  • Germany ready to lift travel restrictions in Europe from June 15th
  • Coronavirus: 326 thousand cases of infection in Europe, more than half in Germany

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May 30, 2020 The first charter flight with European citizens on board to China took off from the largest German hub in Frankfurt after weeks of lockdown. On board about 200 workers with their families. Upon arrival, "we expect that we will have very long checks, fever measurements, Covid tests, serological tests, and then we will have to do 14 days of quarantine," said Bernd Poth, Volkswagen Audi quality control officer in the departure hall of Terminal 1 from Frankfurt, as he was about to embark together with partner and son. Like others on board the flight, operated by the German flag carrier Lufthansa, Poth had returned from China in February before Beijing closed its borders to arriving travelers, blocking the family in Germany.

"We are not as concerned about security as we are about quarantine, because we do not know we do not know what awaits us in Beijing," said another passenger. Propio this week has decided to loosen the limit on incoming flights, set at 407 per week. But even with the triple arrival scheduled since June, the number remains well below the approximately 9,000 arrivals per week managed by the country's airports before the pandemic. While Beijing has staged emergency flights to repatriate its stranded citizens overseas as the virus has spread worldwide, demand has far outstripped supply. A second flight from Frankfurt to Shanghai is scheduled for June 3. "It took three weeks to organize the first flight - explained Jens Hildebrandt of the German Chamber of Commerce in northern China - to be realistic, if a flight leaves every two weeks it would be a good thing". 

Spain: The borders with Portugal remain closed. Costa: "We respect Madrid's will"
The borders between Portugal and Spain remain closed because of "Spain's will not to anticipate its reopening". This was stated by the Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Costa, who ensured that he respected the will of Madrid. In principle, the agreement will be in effect until June 15, although according to Costa, the deadline may be postponed. The decision, explained the head of government, will be taken by the two governments in the coming days. "We have an excellent relationship of coexistence with our neighbors," he assured.

"The management of our borders has always been bilaterally agreed with Spain, so we are absolutely calm", he clarified, without revealing possible dates. Portugal, in particular the tourism sector, intends to reopen the land border from 15 June, coinciding with the start of the tourist season. In this sense, Antonio Costa made it clear that visitors entering Portugal will not have to undergo any quarantine measures. The border is currently open to the transit of goods and cross-border workers. 

Portugal eases restrictions, but no Lisbon
Portugal has given the green light to the third phase of its exit from the restrictive measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The Guardian reports it. From 1 June, shopping centers, childcare centers, gyms, cinemas, theaters and other cultural places will be able to reopen in much of the country, but with limits on entry. Meetings of up to 20 people will be admitted and the limit of 50% of the places on restaurants in force since their reopening, which took place on 18 May, will be lifted. In Lisbon and its honterland, however, where the most recent cases have been located, meetings remain limited to ten peasants and shopping centers will be closed at least until Thursday.