LIVING IN FEAR
Coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease in Europe – but few venture out amid fears of second wave of infections
EUROPE is slowly relaxing lockdown restrictions - but many nervous residents are still too afraid to go back to normal life.
Coronavirus has rampaged its way across the continent - and the world - hitting Italy and Spain particularly hard.
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Draconian restrictions were brought in for most of Europe, enforcing working from home, leaving the house only for exercise and to help others.
In Italy, Spain and France it was even more severe, with exercise even more restricted and serious fines issued for anyone out of their home for no good reason.
As some of the measures are lifted due to case numbers and death rates coming down, citizens are not ready to break the lockdown regime just yet.
Many people fear a second wave of infections is still to come, while the world works hard to develop a vaccine.
Austria and Italy are allowing thousands of shops to reopen while in Spain non-essential workers are returning to factories and building sites.
But nervous Roberto Gonzalez : "I don't think it's the time to go back to work - it's still very risky."
He returned to his construction site in Segovia, Spain, on Tuesday.
The partial lifting of restrictions came despite a warning by the World Health Organisation it could lead to a "deadly resurgence" of coronavirus.
RESTRICTION RELAXED
Italy, Europe's worst-hit country with more than 20,000 deaths, last week extended its nationwide lockdown until at least May 3.
But it is allowing a narrow range of small businesses to reopen including launderettes and shops selling books and children's clothes.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said: "This is a difficult but necessary decision for which I take all political responsibility.”
However, authorities in Rome decided to delay reopening book shops, with a clothes store owner there saying: "Nobody has come in today at all.
"We're asking ourselves, 'What's the point?'
"The takings are really small compared to normal, and in the meantime we still have to pay €14,000 [£12,000] a month in rent. Without government help it will be hard to keep going."
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In the UK the first steps towards normal life could begin within the next four weeks if infection rates begin to fall.
In the “red” phase, people will still be banned from many things they did before the outbreak, but a number of non-essential shops and businesses would re-open.
Some officials are concerned the over-70s and those with poor health may have to be shielded for up to 18 months, even when many of the restrictions have been lifted.
An insider said: “It’s going to be a slow path back. But just because we aren’t talking about it doesn’t mean we aren’t thinking about it.”
For the rest of the UK an “amber” phase could be introduced, with caution still required despite much more economic activity being unlocked.
This would be followed by the green light for much of normal life to resume — but with measures still in place to avoid infection.
In Austria, garden centres, DIY stores and small shops under 400 square metres are now open as part of a step-by-step plan to restart the economy.
Denmark reopened schools for children aged 11 and under, sparking conflict between worried parents and officials, but other restrictions remain until May 11.
Spain allowed some workers to return to work if they cannot do their jobs from home. They include builders, cleaners and workers in factories and shipyards.
2.3million people have been infected with the killer bug since the outbreak at the start of the year.
Countries have shut down and cities become ghost towns as the world tries to tackle the virus spread.
MOST READ IN NEWS
While most recover, at least 155,000 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University based on figures supplied by health authorities around the globe.
China reported 16 new cases and no deaths in the 24 hours through midnight Saturday.
That raised the official fatality toll to 4,632 some three-quarters of them in the central city of Wuhan, where the virus emerged among 82,735 confirmed cases.
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