United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Spain ... Several of our neighbors are increasing the announcements to adapt their restrictions to the effervescence of Christmas and to avoid an outbreak of Covid-19 contaminations.
Overview of the health measures implemented in Europe for these end-of-year celebrations.
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At five days of Christmas, several of our European neighbors are tightening their restrictions in order to avoid at all costs an outbreak of coronavirus contaminations during the end of the year celebrations.
With the help of its correspondents in Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain, Europe 1 takes stock of how our neighbors are going to spend Christmas.
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- Coronavirus: follow the evolution of the situation Saturday, December 19
In Italy, a re-containment from December 24 to January 6
The President of the Italian Council, Giuseppe Conte, announced Friday evening a reconfinement of the whole territory for the end of year celebrations, from December 21 to January 6.
However, Italians will have the right to leave their homes to participate in a family meal with limited covers, a decree issued on Saturday ruled.
Food shops, but also hairdressing salons, pharmacies, tobacconists and laundries, as well as bookstores, will remain open.
On the other hand, restaurateurs will again be forced to close their establishments.
Religious celebrations will be allowed until 10 p.m.
These measures are organized in two stages: a ban on movement between Italian regions from Monday, then a total re-containment of the whole country from next Thursday.
A deadline that caused the departure of many Italians during the weekend, they hurrying to take the train.
Nuove misure per il contenimento dell'emergenza da Covid-19, la conferenza stampa del Presidente @GiuseppeConteIT.
In diretta da Palazzo Chigi https://t.co/dtFyNzEh4d
- Palazzo_Chigi (@Palazzo_Chigi) December 18, 2020
In general, these new announcements are very difficult for the Italians to digest, who have not experienced strict and total containment since last spring.
Given the importance of traditions in Italy, it will still be possible to attend religious ceremonies.
If isolation during the holidays is difficult to accept, the Italians have nevertheless held a speech of acceptance, resignation, since the start of the pandemic.
For them, this is just one more sacrifice to protect their elders, and see the situation improve.
Regarding the economic sectors that will again be affected by these restrictions, Giuseppe Conte has already announced 645 million in aid, paid immediately into all bank accounts in the sectors affected by these closures.
United Kingdom: London and the South East of England reconfigure
In the United Kingdom, the figures are not good and the country is seeing an increase in all indicators, probably related to the emergence of a new variant of the virus, 70% more transmissible.
The British government has therefore decided to reconfigure London and the south-east of England on Sunday, dealing a coup de grace to the Christmas reunion, in an attempt to curb a surge in contamination attributed to this new strain of Covid-19.
"It appears that this spread is now being fueled by a new variant of the virus," which is transmitted "much more easily", British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at a press conference on Saturday.
"There is no indication that it is more deadly or that it causes a more severe form of the disease" or that it reduces the effectiveness of vaccines, he added, however.
From Sunday 20 December, some areas in England will enter Tier 4: Stay At Home.
[Tap to expand the poster] pic.twitter.com/zPKKGrutN2
- UK Prime Minister (@ 10DowningStreet) December 19, 2020
Already subject to stringent restrictions, residents of the capital and south-east England will be placed under a new level of alert, the fourth and higher.
They will be instructed to stay home and non-essential businesses will no longer be able to reopen after lowering the curtain on Saturday, putting an end to last-minute Christmas shopping.
All travel outside of this area, whether to go elsewhere in the UK or abroad, will be prohibited.
Christmas will therefore not be saved, as Boris Johnson hoped.
As for the French living in London, it will be impossible for them to leave to return to France, unless they can justify a compelling reason.
In Germany, partial confinement until January 10
Hit hard by the second wave of Covid-19, Germany has also taken new restrictions to stem the contagion.
The country entered partial containment on Wednesday with the closure of all non-essential businesses and schools.
Restaurants, bars, cultural venues and sports venues remain closed until January 10.
The bet was to give a turn of the screw early enough before Christmas in order to save the holiday season.
For now, it is still early to see the effects of these measures, but according to a poll, only 14% of Germans say they are opposed to this latest turn of the screw.
Overall, the speech is respected, in particular because the situation in Germany is harsh.
While a first series of measures, in November, had made it possible to block the number of contaminations at 20,000 per day, this figure rose to 30,000 in mid-December.
In some regions, the situation is very alarming, as in Saxony, which has more than 2,000 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Saxony breaks all records.
Incidence rates above 2000 have been recorded in some localities.
More than 1000 in 19 municipalities of the Land.
Area Average: 415
- Pascal Thibaut (@pthibaut) December 19, 2020
For Christmas, the authorities' recommendation therefore remains to be limited to five people around the table.
Social contacts will have to remain very limited from December 24 to 26 when meetings will only be possible between members of very close family.
In Spain, the fear of new restrictions by Thursday or Friday
In Spain, the measures taken for the holiday season are less strict than in Italy.
But it depends on the region you are in.
Indeed, it is still possible to go to a restaurant, but it remains difficult to move around.
In Catalonia, for example, the roads are almost deserted.
Finally if we summarize, there are no mobility restrictions in Catalonia for the end of year celebrations.
You can travel throughout the region (if you are from the same bubble) to reach accommodation.
You can leave the area to go see family or relatives.
- Henry de Laguérie (@henrydelaguerie) December 18, 2020
Overall, on Christmas Eve, dinners will be limited to six or ten people, depending on the region, with an extended curfew at midnight (instead of 10 p.m. currently).
According to a poll published on Saturday, 80% of Spaniards say they will not invite anyone for Christmas Eve, and will stay in their family bubble.
The country fears new restrictions, however, by Thursday or Friday.
Spain was the first country to be affected by the second wave of Covid-19, and there is already talk of a third wave that has started.