France, Spain move toward reopening as global economies suffer

As the worldwide death toll surged past 279,000 with over four million infections, France and Spain look set to reopen the countries after seeing a consistent decrease in both the daily number of new cases and deaths from Covid-19.

People in France and Spain, two of Europe’s countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, were preparing Saturday for an easing of lockdown rules starting Monday, as governments struggled to balance a desperate need for economic revival against the grim prospect of new deaths.

In the US, the country with the world’s highest death toll, President Donald Trump faced sharp new criticism with his predecessor Barack Obama saying on a leaked tape that Trump’s handling of the crisis was an “absolute chaotic disaster”.

The virus has claimed more than 79,000 lives in the United States, while the worldwide death toll has surged past 279,000, with over four million infections.

Lockdowns and economic disruption, meantime, have pushed millions into unemployment in a historic global downturn.

Yet amid the barrage of deaths, some European countries cited signs of progress they said justified taking slow steps back toward some version of normality.

France

French officials on Saturday said the day’s death toll of 80 was the lowest since early April. Nursing home fatalities also fell sharply as France prepared to relax curbs on public movement imposed eight weeks ago. The easing has brought mixed reactions.

“I’ve been scared to death” about the reopening, said Maya Flandin, a bookshop manager from Lyon. “It’s a big responsibility to have to protect my staff and my customers.”

French health officials warned that “the epidemic remains active and is evolving”, and a state of emergency was extended to July 10.

Spain

In Spain, about half the population will be allowed out on Monday for limited socialization, and restaurants will be able to offer some outdoor service as the country begins a phased transition set to last through June.

Fears lingered, however, of a viral resurgence if restrictions are lifted too quickly, and authorities excluded Madrid and Barcelona, two COVID-19 hotspots, from the more relaxed first-phase rules.

“The virus has not gone away,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned.

Belgium

Belgium is easing some restrictions on Monday, and in some parts of Germany bars and restaurants reopened on Saturday with further easing set for Monday.

One district in Germany’s western North Rhine-Westphalia state remained locked down, however, after an outbreak in a slaughterhouse.

Overall, the situation in Europe was still far from normal.

Britain

Britain is reportedly planning to announce on Sunday that all overseas visitors will face a mandatory two-week quarantine, and the European Union warned against opening borders to travellers from outside the bloc.

Across Europe, commemorations marking 75 years since Nazi Germany’s surrender were cancelled or scaled down.

Russia

In Russia, a soaring number of coronavirus infections forced Moscow on Saturday to pare back traditionally rousing World War II victory celebrations. President Vladimir Putin instead gave a solemn speech at a memorial outside the Kremlin walls, without mentioning the coronavirus.

Russia is now the fifth hardest-hit country, with nearly 200,000 confirmed infections and a rapidly rising caseload.

Global economic figures are pointing to the most acute downturn in nearly a century as the pandemic forced businesses to shutter and badly disrupted supply lines.

United States

Trump, facing re-election in November, has insisted next year would be “phenomenal” for the US economy. He has urged a quick reopening in a country where coronavirus continues to claim more than 1,000 lives a day.

But the US alone lost an unprecedented 20.5 million jobs in April, driving the unemployment rate to 14.7 percent — the highest level since the Great Depression of the last century.

A leaked audio emerged in which former president Obama launched a scathing attack on Trump’s handling of the crisis.

In the audio, first obtained by Yahoo News, Obama urges former staffers to rally behind his former vice president, Joe Biden, who is preparing to take on Trump in the November election.

The US response to the crisis, Obama said, “would have been bad even with the best of governments. It has been an absolute chaotic disaster” under the current administration.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, the world’s fifth most-populous country, the government ended the lockdown on Saturday and locals streamed into markets and shops, despite still-high infection rates.

“We are happy with this decision, but at the same time I have a fear in my heart that if this disease spreads it could be devastating,” said Tehmina Sattar,  shopping with her sister and sons in Rawalpindi.

Brazil

In contrast, in Brazil there was no sign of a let-up — either with lockdown measures or the onslaught of the virus.

The country, already the focal point of the Latin America outbreak, announced a record number of deaths in one day on Friday, with 751 fatalities bringing its toll to almost 10,000.

With its auto manufacturing industry almost entirely shut down and other economic indicators in the red, a government minister warned this week the country faced “economic collapse” if lockdowns continue.