Europe takes baby steps towards new normal

April 15, 2020 14:33

A street in Austria

As many countries in Europe believe they are seeing a flattening of the coronavirus curve or a plateau, a gradual re-opening of businesses is taking place, albeit, with caution, Xinhua news agency reported.

Small shops and hardware stores in Austria re-opened on Tuesday as the first step towards a "new normal" amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.As of Tuesday morning, shops of up to 400 square meters and hardware stores in the Alpine country have re-opened under strict precautionary measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing. "We are on track," said Kurz, who believed "The numbers of new infections and of hospitalisations are going in the right direction."

However, masks are mandatory in retail and public transport, he emphasized.The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Austria has reached 14,159 as of Tuesday afternoon, with 384 deaths reported.

Spain, one of the European countries hardest hit by COVID-19, is handing out 10 million free masks from Monday to Thursday this week, to commuters going back to work after a two-week lockdown that forced all non-essential workers to stay home to combat the spread of COVID-19. Face masks are being handed out to commuters at train and metro stations as well as at bus terminals across Spain. Residents can pick up masks at 1,300 distribution points throughout Spain.

Starting from Monday, non-essential workers such as construction staff are allowed to return to work. Meanwhile, the rest of the country remains under lockdown until April 26.

Italy, another country devastated by the pandemic, on Tuesday took its first tentative steps towards reopening its economy five weeks after the first national lockdown entered into force. -- ANI

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