The Italian government announces a night curfew
The new restrictions to combat "Corona" are sparking protests in Germany and Italy
Restaurant workers demonstrate in Rome to protest the closure of their stores at 6 pm.
Reuters
Angela Merkel: "Coronavirus behaves differently, and it becomes more virulent in cooler temperatures."
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Yesterday, Germany began imposing extensive closure restrictions that will last for a month, while the Italian government announced the imposition of a night curfew to stop the outbreak of the new Corona virus (Covid-19), and Belgium also began implementing new measures to contain the rapid spread of the virus by closing all shops that do not sell necessary goods. The new restrictions led to protests in Germany and Italy.
Public life in Germany almost stopped yesterday, with the introduction of broad restrictions on mixing and business closures during the month of November, in an attempt to curb the increase in cases of coronavirus infection before the Christmas holidays.
Gatherings in open spaces were restricted to gathering of individuals not more than two families, with a maximum of 10 people, according to the rules decided by the federal and state governments.
Fans will also be banned from attending German League football matches, and amateur sports events will be held, and gyms, swimming pools, beauty studios, massage parlors and tattoo parlors will also be closed.
And German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, in a press conference yesterday, that the new Corona virus behaves differently, and becomes more ferocious in cooler temperatures, and Germany had to move to impose new restrictions on public life to protect its health system.
She added, "We cannot allow this rapid spread of the virus to burden our health system," noting that the number of people being treated in intensive care units due to "Corona" has doubled in the past ten days, warning of a "severe emergency" in hospitals.
Germany recorded 12,97 new cases of the virus, within 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 532,930 cases, while the total deaths reached 10,481 cases, an increase of 29 new cases.
German police said that about 1,900 people protested, in Munich, against the lockdown measures.
Likewise, protests broke out against the new restrictions in Italy, and restaurant owners and workers demonstrated in Rome, against the decision to close their stores at 6 pm.
Yesterday, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that a night curfew would be implemented as part of new measures to contain the outbreak of the Coronavirus, and he said in a speech to the House of Representatives that museums would be closed, commercial centers would be closed on weekends, and distance education would be extended. To include high school students.
He explained that fewer passengers would be allowed on public transport, and movement to and from the areas that recorded high cases would be restricted.
Conte indicated that more local restrictions would be imposed in regions with high rates of HIV infection.
Conte described the development of the Corona pandemic in Italy as "extremely worrying".
He added that the country will be divided into three regions, depending on the level of risk of an outbreak, and warned that intensive care units may overflow with patients in 15 to 20 Italian regions during the next month if steps are not taken to confront this, saying that certain regions faced more stringent restrictions than others.
In France, owners of small stores complained of being forced to close, while large stores (supermarkets) are allowed to sell non-essential goods, such as shoes, clothes, beauty products and flowers, because they sell food.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said yesterday that supermarkets will be subject to the same restrictions relating to the sale of non-essential goods, but shopkeepers will not be allowed to challenge the general isolation rules imposed by the government.
In turn, the French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, confirmed that major French stores will have to close the passages of non-essential products from today, after protests from local mayors who said that closing the country due to the Corona virus unfairly harms small retailers.
The French closure is scheduled to continue until the beginning of next December at least.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that "the Corona virus is spreading at a speed that was not predicted by even the most pessimistic forecast."
Yesterday, in Belgium, new measures were implemented to contain the rapid spread of the Coronavirus, with the closure of all shops that do not sell necessary goods, although they will continue to deliver orders to homes.
Regarding mixing, citizens can only communicate with one person outside their home.
Those who live alone can communicate with two people.
These measures are scheduled to remain until December 13th.
• Germany imposes a lockdown for a month, and Belgium begins applying new restrictions to contain the spread of the virus.
• The Prime Minister of Italy affirms that the development of the pandemic in his country is "extremely worrying" ... and warns of overflowing patient care units.
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