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Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Lockdowns spread to Ireland, Germany, Czechia

Ireland reimposes lockdown measures as coronavirus cases surge | Global News - Padraic Halpin, Reuters:

October 20, 2020 - "Ireland announced some of Europe’s toughest COVID-19 constraints on Monday, shutting non-essential retail, limiting restaurants and pubs to take away service and telling people not to travel more than five kilometers (3 miles) from their home. Ireland imposed one of Europe’s longest lockdowns during the first surge in coronavirus cases and eased restrictions at such a cautious pace that pubs that only serve drinks in Dublin had not reopened by the time a rise in infections prompted a tightening of curbs.

"This time, schools will stay open and essential services such as construction are allowed to continue, Prime Minister Micheal Martin said, as he moved the country to the highest level of restrictions, Level 5, for six weeks from midnight Wednesday. Hotels may remain open, but only if their rooms are needed by essential workers. Martin said the government’s aim was to return to Level 3 by Dec. 1. That would allow all retailers to reopen and restaurants to serve 15 customers outdoors. Even then, another lockdown could not be ruled out in 2021, he added."

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/7407425/ireland-coronavirus-lockdown-restrictions/


Coronavirus: German Alpine region goes into lockdown | BBC News

October 20, 2020 - "An Alpine area of southern Germany has gone into a new lockdown, the first part of the country to do so since the first Covid peak earlier this year. The 105,000 people of Berchtesgadener Land, bordering Austria, will only be allowed to leave home for essential reasons for the next two weeks.

"Like much of Europe, Germany is confronting a sharp rise in infections.... But the local infection rate in Berchtesgadener Land, part of the state of Bavaria, has hit 273 per 100,000 over the past week, which is why the fresh lockdown - being called a 'circuit breaker' - has been imposed.

"Schools, restaurants, bars, theatres, gyms, cinemas and hotels will be closed, but church services will be allowed. Visitors to the tourist town of Berchtesgaden have been asked to leave."

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54618827


Breaking: New Czech anti-COVID-19 lockdown measures to close shops and services as of Thursday, October 22 | Expats.cz - Jason Pirodsky:  

October 21, 2020 - "After a record-breaking day when the Czech Republic announced nearly 12,000 new COVID-19 cases, Health Minister Roman Prymula and other members of the Czech government have announced a new series of lockdown measures that will close most shops and services from Thursday.... With the exception of grocery stores, drugstores, pharmacies, and other shops providing essential goods ... all retail stores in the Czech Republic must close as of 6:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, October 22. The same applies to hairdressers, nail salons, and other venues providing similar services. In larger shopping centers, only the allowed shops may be open from tomorrow. Restaurants in shopping centers may still operate take-away windows (as well as restaurants outside of shopping centers).

"Additionally, outside groups will be limited to a maximum of two, with the exception of family members from the same household. According to Czech Health Minister Roman Prymula, only necessary travel should be undertaken, such as traveling to work or to buy food and other supplies.... 

"In order to limit the contact of civil servants with the public, state offices have been ordered to switch to home office if possible. Public office opening hours have been limited to ten hours per week, and all visitors are required to make an appointment in advance; no queues should be formed at the offices. The new measures do not affect the operation of nurseries and kindergartens, which may remain open. All other schools in the Czech Republic have switched to distance learning.

"The new measures will last until the end of the current state of emergency in the Czech Republic, on November 3. At that time, the measures will be repealed, loosened, or extended, assuming the Czech state of emergency is also extended."

Read more: https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/breaking-new-czech-anti-covid-19-measures-to-close-shops-and-services 

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