8 votes

How Europe is responding to the coronavirus pandemic

3 comments

  1. [3]
    skybrian
    Link
    It's pretty long, but here are some interesting bits pulled from the article:

    It's pretty long, but here are some interesting bits pulled from the article:

    France

    Education: Macron announced the shutdown of schools, universities and crèches from Monday until further notice.
    Events: Gatherings of more than 1,000 people have been banned since March 8, except for events that are “essential to the life of the nation.” The Paris marathon, a Six Nations rugby match, concerts and a book fair are among the major events that have canceled.

    Spain

    The Spanish parliament was shuttered after several far-right MPs tested positive. All 52 MPs of the Vox party and their teams have self-isolated as a consequence and party leader Santiago Abascal has since tested positive.
    Education: Following a recommendation made by Prime Minister Sánchez on Thursday, all of Spain’s regional governments ordered schools and universities to be closed. Some 9.5 million students have been sent home for the next two weeks.
    Events: The leftist national government was pilloried for not canceling the International Women’s March in Madrid on Sunday; tens of thousands attended. Since then, all events with more than a thousand participants have been canceled, including Valencia’s Fallas Festival, which hadn’t been called off since the Spanish Civil War. All sporting events are to be held behind closed doors.The Spanish soccer league has suspended play and the Real Madrid football and basketball clubs have been quarantined after a player tested positive. Civil service exams are postponed indefinitely. Despite pressure from Madrid, the regional government of Andalucia refuses to call off the Holy Week festivities, which are attended by hundreds of thousands of people each year.

    Germany

    Education: Some schools are closed in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, one of the most affected German regions. Lower Saxony in the northwest will close schools on Monday.
    Events: The states of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein, Hesse and Berlin have canceled events of more than 1,000 people, following a recommendation by the federal government. Most big sport events will take place without spectators.

    Denmark

    Education: Schools are closed for two weeks starting March 13 at the latest.
    Events: Indoor events with more than 100 participants are canceled.
    Other measures: All indoor public cultural institutions, libraries, leisure facilities and similar indoor activities will be closed as soon as possible and no later than March 13 for a fortnight. The use of public transport must be limited, the government said.

    The Netherlands

    Education: Primary and secondary schools will stay open, despite calls from principals to close. Universities have been asked to teach classes with more than 100 students online.
    Events: On Thursday, the government announced all events with more than 100 participants will be banned. Locations frequently visited by more than 100 people, including museums and theaters, will be shut.

    Sweden

    Education: Schools are not subject to blanket closures, though several have shut following infections of staff or pupils. Notably, Sweden’s Princess Estelle’s school has closed, news of which even made it into Vanity Fair.
    Events: Gatherings of more than 500 people have been banned. A royal gala dinner was canceled as well as a number of other events such as the Stockholm St Patrick’s Day Parade.

    United Kingdom

    Education: Schools have only closed when a pupil or staff member has tested positive or if someone at the school had close contact with a confirmed case. Two cases have been confirmed at Oxford University and one at Bournemouth University, but the institutions remain open. Schools have been told to cancel foreign trips.

    Events: The U.K. as a whole hasn’t canceled sporting events or held them behind closed doors, but Scotland is headed for a ban, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon calling for all gatherings of more than 500 to be canceled from next week. Her decision was taken to relieve pressures on emergency services rather than because of an expectation it will have a significant impact on the spread of the virus. A number of British music artists, including grime star Stormzy, have canceled concerts globally. The government has made efforts to avoid canceling events, and even the Queen has been going about her duties, albeit without shaking hands.

    2 votes
    1. [2]
      timo
      Link Parent
      More info on The Netherlands: 614 confirmed cases, population of 17M (and small land area, so quite close together). Government advice as of yesterday: Work at home if possible Do not visit the...

      More info on The Netherlands:

      • 614 confirmed cases, population of 17M (and small land area, so quite close together).

      Government advice as of yesterday:

      • Work at home if possible
      • Do not visit the sick or elderly
      • If sick or elderly, don't use public transport
      • stay at home if symptoms (coughing, fever, pain in throat)
      • Limit social contact
      • Gatherings with more than 100 people are forbidden
      • If you work in hospital, only stay at home if coughing AND have a fever
        schools stay open, to limit essential personnel to stay working and limit children visit elderly.
      3 votes
      1. vektor
        Link Parent
        Oh how I hate how we treat schools as daycare, same in Germany. FFS, at least limit spread by telling all the kids to stay home if possible. Stop regular school activities and only use it as a...

        Oh how I hate how we treat schools as daycare, same in Germany. FFS, at least limit spread by telling all the kids to stay home if possible. Stop regular school activities and only use it as a daycare for those that need it. I.e. if the kids can take care of themselves or someone is home who can, send them home. If the only person who could take care of them at home is the pulmonary specialist mom, send the kid to school and let the teachers do their best to keep them busy and healthy. The older students are, the more likely they are to travel further distances on the regular, thus better vectors, and the better they are at taking care of themselves. It's really not hard. This isn't the time to risk a total lockdown out of a false sense of duty to keep the economy running smoothly.

        </rant>
        2 votes