(Bloomberg) —
Spain is poised to extend a nationwide lockdown and Italy is moving toward doing the same as Europe’s rising infection rate complicates plans to begin reversing stringent restrictions on public life.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will ask parliament on Thursday for an extension to a state of emergency through April 25. His Italian counterpart, Giuseppe Conte, is preparing to prolong the national lockdown from a current expiration date of April 13 for another two weeks, according to officials, who asked not to be identified discussing a confidential issue.
The persistent increase in cases complicates efforts by European leaders to gradually ease the rules that have been put in place to slow the spread of the virus. The restrictions are having a devastating impact on economies across the region, and politicians are under pressure to relax them as quickly as possible.
The continent has been hit hard, suffering more than 65% of worldwide deaths and Spain, Italy, France and Germany trail only the U.S. in infections.
New virus cases in Germany climbed the most in five days, according to figures Thursday from Johns Hopkins University. Italy said Wednesday that it recorded 3,836 new infections, the highest in three days.
In Spain, total cases rose to more than 150,000 and deaths surpassed 15,000, underscoring the severity of Europe’s most extensive outbreak, even if daily figures declined.
In Germany, where the economy is expected to shrink by almost 10% in the current quarter, Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to consult with regional premiers on Wednesday on how soon and to what extent current restrictions can be eased.
Economy Minister Peter Altmaier sought to tamp down a debate on loosening the lockdown, saying it would send the “wrong signal” as the government asks people to stay home over the Easter holiday and daily infection rates continue to “swing.”
“There’s a silver lining on the horizon, even if it’s too early to sound the all clear,” Altmaier said in Berlin after a meeting of the government’s coronavirus task force. “It’s also better for the economy if we’re disciplined and hold on for a few more days rather than starting too early.”
In Italy, only selected companies in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, as well as possibly some shops, will likely be allowed to reopen next week, the officials said. Conte may approve a new decree as early as Friday, they said.
Italy needs to define which industrial sectors could restart production, Conte told the BBC. If scientists confirm that the country can start a gradual return to activity, “we might begin to relax some measures by the end of this month,” he said.
Urging Caution
Health Minister Roberto Speranza is particularly cautious on relaxing the lockdown, one of the officials said, insisting on the need for data on the spread to improve further before considering whether to gradually reopen more businesses from early May.
An easing of the lockdown may be on a regional basis, the official said. The business-rich north of Italy has been the worst-hit by the virus. The government is considering recommending that people carry masks and gloves with them for protection in closed areas, including shops.Members of the medical and scientific committee advising the government are urging caution. The lockdown bans movements within Italy, and virtually confines people to their homes save for work, health or emergency reasons.“The only thing we are certain of is that the lockdown measures are efficient, and to stop the epidemic we have to bring down the rate at which the infection spreads,” Luca Richeldi, a pulmonolgist at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli hospital and a member of the committee, said in an interview. “Some changes in mid-April would be justified, but they have to be small and for activities that can guarantee social distancing and protection measures, otherwise it’s practically certain there will be a new outbreak,” he added.
Breaking Rules
Portugal, which declared a state of emergency on March 18, tightened containment measures further from Thursday through Monday. The government wants to limit movement during the Easter holiday weekend by closing airports to all passenger travel and banning movement between municipalities.
Schools in the country, which so far hasn’t been as badly hit by the outbreak as neighboring Spain or Italy, will remain closed through the month of April and Prime Minister Antonio Costa may indicate later on Thursday when they might start reopening.
Luxembourg will become the first EU country to start systematic mass tests on its population, regardless of whether they show coronavirus symptoms or not.
The move is important, as mass testing to isolate carriers and prevent new surges is a condition for the lifting of restrictions on movement, according to a draft “exit strategy” memo by the European Commission, seen by Bloomberg.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control now recommends the widespread use of face masks to reduce the spread of the infection.
While face protection is seen only complementary to other measures, such as social distancing and personal hygiene, “the use of face masks in the community could be considered, especially when visiting busy, closed spaces, such as grocery stores, shopping centers, or when using public transport,” according to the EU agency.
(Updates with latest Spain figures in sixth paragraph, German minister comments beginning in eighth)
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