It is a double turn of the screw that many European countries have just given, while the Old Continent is facing a new epidemic resurgence.
After taking emergency measures up to reconfinement during the end of the year celebrations, some countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy, also decided this Sunday to suspend flights from the United Kingdom, which has to contend with a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 deemed to be more contagious.
Berlin has also announced restrictions, and Paris, Madrid and Vienna are planning to do the same.
Overview of these drastic health measures, with the approach of the holidays.
In France, a strict curfew
After a second confinement decreed at the end of October and despite a number of daily contaminations which is on the rise again, France has decided to opt for a strict curfew since December 15.
It is forbidden to leave your home between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., except for valid reasons which must be entered on a travel certificate.
The only exception to this curfew: the evening of December 24, where it is however recommended by the health authorities not to meet more than six adults around the table.
Concert halls, cinemas, sports halls, bars, restaurants and nightclubs remain closed until further notice.
United Kingdom: a last-minute partial reconfinement
The British Prime Minister did not hide it during his speech on Saturday, this drastic decision is linked to the appearance of a new strain of the coronavirus, which would have caused an outbreak of contaminations in the south of the country.
Consequence: part of England and therefore London will spend the holidays confined.
These residents, who have been placed on the fourth level of alert - the highest - have been instructed to stay at home and are banned from travel to other regions and countries from this Sunday.
READ ALSO>
Variant of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom: four questions on a strain that worries
With in addition a closure of non-essential businesses effective since Saturday, five days before Christmas.
It had been a week since pubs and restaurants were closed in England.
Wales meanwhile decided to reconfine themselves as early as Sunday, while Scotland and Northern Ireland said they would take a similar step just after Christmas.
Travel between regions prohibited in Italy
The country, one of the first to be affected by the epidemic in February, will also be reconfigured for this end of the year.
According to a decree published on Saturday, all of Italy will be classified "red" during the holidays, that is between December 21 and January 6.
VIDEO. Covid-19: Conte redefines Italy during the holidays
A measure that restricts travel between regions without a valid reason (mainly family, health or professional) and forces only one outing per household and per day.
But it nevertheless offers Italians the possibility of leaving their homes to participate in a family meal, limiting the number of guests to two adults.
"Our experts fear that the contagion curve will increase during the Christmas period", justified the head of government Giuseppe Conte, listing, among other restrictions, the closure of retail businesses, including bars and restaurants ( take-out sales and leftover deliveries allowed) and the authorization of religious celebrations until 10 p.m. only.
Reconfinement since Wednesday in Germany
Since Wednesday, our German neighbors have also entered a new phase of restrictive measures.
The entire country has been reconfigured, after several days of daily death and contamination reports at its highest.
All businesses deemed non-essential are closed, but, as was the case in France, schools remain open.
Outings are authorized between December 24 and 26, only between members of a close family and gatherings will be prohibited on the evening of December 31.
These measures, a few days before Christmas must be maintained until January 10, but the executive has already suggested that if this epidemic rebound does not manage to be stopped, they could extend beyond.
In Austria, new restrictions from December 26
Austria has decided to wait until Christmas has passed to get back under the bell.
From December 26, the country will embark on its third confinement, which will have to last until January 24 for part of the population.
"A curfew will apply again throughout the day," said the government Friday, while this measure only concerned the night.
READ ALSO>
Covid-19: will France have the most “flexible” Christmas in Europe?
Non-essential shops as well as bookstores, museums and schools will be able to reopen on January 18, as will hotels, bars and restaurants, sports halls and shows, which are still closed to this day.
This restriction will in fact be done in two stages: from January 18, residents who have carried out an antigen test which turned out to be negative (dating from less than a week) will be able to resume a normal life and return to these shops and cultural places. and athletes, while the others will have to wait six more days.
Netherlands: five weeks of re-containment
Since Tuesday, the country, which is facing a significant increase in infections, has decreed a five-week confinement, until January 19, in full during these end-of-year celebrations.
These are the most severe measures taken by the Netherlands in the face of the epidemic.
Thus, schools and shops deemed non-essential, sports halls, theaters, cinema and museums are closed.
Catering, as well as the sale of cannabis, are still allowed to take out.
Finally, except for Christmas Day, where three guests will be allowed, the Dutch are only allowed to invite two people simultaneously to their home.
Partial containment still in force in Belgium
Certain health measures intended to contain the epidemic have still been in force in Belgium since the beginning of October.
While travel is no longer constrained, bars, restaurants, cultural venues and beauty salons remain closed.
The country has also established one of the strictest rules for Christmas Eve: only one guest is allowed per household.
Only people living in isolation can invite two.
In Switzerland, new business closures
From December 22 and for one month, our neighbors, who deplore 4000 new daily contaminations for several days, will again tighten the screw by closing restaurants, leisure, cultural and sports establishments.
The capacities of the stores will be restricted, allowing them to continue to operate.
The ski resorts will be able to remain open during this period if the canton decides, but by following a strict health protocol in order to avoid the crowds at the ski lifts.
Denmark hardens semi-confinement
“From Friday 25 December to 3 January Denmark will be really closed”, except for food stores and pharmacies, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Wednesday.
Thus, all businesses will be closed during the holidays.
Colleges, high schools, bars, restaurants, sports centers and closed cultural places: these semi-containment measures in force in two-thirds of the municipalities have been extended to the whole country.
In Greece, measures until January 7
The country has decided to extend its light confinement, put in place on November 7 and which will thus have to last until January 7.
As in France, a curfew extends from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., with a compulsory travel certificate.
Travel must be justified when it is between regions.
Finally, certain places such as non-essential shops, bars and restaurants, theaters, cinema and museums, will remain closed.
Spain, it takes the foot but for how long?
Conversely, Spain, which sees its epidemic situation improving, has decided to relax its restrictions between December 23 and January 6.
Its curfew currently in force will be extended depending on the region, until 1:30 a.m.
Residents will be able to meet up to 10 per household (including children), against a current restriction of six.
No changes for the bars and restaurants, which have been open for several weeks.
Morning essentials newsletter
A tour of the news to start the day
Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters
But the authorities could well change their minds, at least at the regional level, while the situation in the country was finally described as "worrying" this week by the Prime Minister, who does not rule out "proposing to regional governments to toughen the Christmas plan ”.