Very carefully and only one cautious step after the other: Several countries are risking a first easing of their measures taken in the Corona crisis. For some German neighbors, the path leads to normality via the hardware store and the tennis court.
Copenhagen (dpa) - What is the best way to return to a kind of normal everyday life after the corona pandemic? While Germany is looking for the most suitable exit strategy, a number of countries have already cautiously relaxed the first corona measures:
Denmark wants to re-open crèches, kindergartens and schools up to fifth grade, the Austrians can at least go back to the hardware store and smaller shops after Easter. An overview of the countries that are easing their first measures taken in the Corona crisis:
DENMARK: Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke of a "first cautious phase" of opening up the country: In a first step, Danish crèches, kindergartens and schools for children up to fifth grade should reopen from April 15th. With this, the Danish government wants to first relieve the parents, who so far have had to take care of their younger children in addition to working in the home office.
Frederiksen has extended all other measures in the same breath by four weeks: The Danish borders, including those to Germany, remain tight until May 10th. The same applies - according to Frederiksen at least until the next phase of opening - for restaurants, cafés, pubs, theaters and other leisure facilities. Meetings with more than ten people are still prohibited, major events are prohibited until the end of August.
AUSTRIA: Like Denmark, Austria reacted very early to the corona virus with strict measures. In the Alpine Republic, the tentative way back starts on April 14th: According to Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, small shops as well as DIY stores and garden centers may then reopen under strict conditions. From May 1st, all shops, shopping centers and hairdressers should be allowed to follow. A schedule for the opening of hotels and restaurants should be available at the end of April, with the aim of resuming operations from mid-May.
The exit restrictions will be extended until the end of April - this means that you can only leave the apartment with good reason. The schools will remain closed until mid-May. Events should not take place until the end of June. The existing mask requirement in the supermarket will be extended to all open shops and public transport from April 14th.
CZECH REPUBLIC: The Czechs have been allowed to play tennis or golf again since Tuesday after a decision by their minority cabinet. In addition, the first shops closed in the Corona crisis are allowed to reopen from Thursday, including hobby and hardware stores, the hardware trade and bicycle workshops. At the same time, the hygiene rules for retailers are tightened: the minimum distance between customers must be two meters, and disinfectants and disposable gloves must be provided at the entrance.
The government in Prague also says that from April 14, essential, necessary trips abroad should be allowed, for example for doctor visits or business trips. So far, there has been a strict exit ban in the neighboring German country.
LITHUANIA: Hope is also emerging in the EU country Lithuania. "We will likely relax the conditions for certain small businesses and set very clear conditions," said Saulius Skvernelis, Prime Minister of Lithuania, in Vilnius on Tuesday. Accordingly, these companies should be allowed to open again to customers if they meet certain precautions such as access restrictions, entry and exit controls and increased hygiene standards. Dealers must wear protective clothing and must not belong to any risk group.
Skvernelis said that concrete changes should only be decided later in the week. At the same time, his government is considering extending the nationwide corona quarantine by two weeks, under which it initially placed the country until Easter.
NORWAY: The Norwegians partly follow their Scandinavian friends from Denmark on their way out of the corona state - and venture a little further: The kindergartens are only opened on the 20th and the schools for first to fourth graders on April 27th as Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced on Tuesday. But the plan from Oslo goes a little further: On the one hand, the Norwegians are allowed to stay in their beloved huts again from April 20, on the other hand, physiotherapists and psychologists are allowed to resume their work, provided they have the appropriate requirements to prevent one Meet contagion risks. Hairdressers and skin care workers are allowed to do this seven days later.
Added to this is the hope of bringing all students back to schools before summer. The country's borders remain closed. Norwegians returning to their home country must also remain in quarantine for 14 days.
CHINA: In the place of origin of the pandemic, central China's Wuhan, the last restrictions on movement for the eleven million residents were lifted more than two and a half months after the closure on Wednesday. The inner city traffic is normalized again, the airport resumes its flights. Cars are allowed to leave the city and people can travel by train again - provided they are healthy and can show a green code on their mobile phone in a Corona health app now used all over China. Anyone who has had contact with infected people is automatically set to red and is not allowed to travel.
Preventive measures are also still strict: fever is to be measured at local sites and mouth protection is to be worn. Kindergartens, schools and universities will remain closed for the time being.
