World slowly starts to wake from pandemic lockdown
As Australians push through at least another four weeks of coronavirus restrictions, some countries, even those hit hard by COVID-19, are beginning to scale back.Stuck in her small apartment above the empty streets of Florence, in sight of the empty Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and its empty piazza, Australian ex-pat Lisa Brancatisano pores over the news each day for signs of hope.
The scaling back of lockdowns in such hot-bed nations, many still fighting wholesale death, may offer Australians cautious glimmers of hope, too. In what may pique interests of Victorian parents supervising their children for the entirety of term two, Denmark, which on Saturday had recorded 336 deaths compared to Victoria's 14, has reopened schools after a four-week hiatus, also with enforced social distancing.
The United Kingdom, meanwhile, has extended the closure of non-essential business for at least another three weeks. The government has not indicated what easing restrictions may look like if, and when, it begins.The Chinese city of Wuhan, the virus' ground zero, and its province of Hubei began reopening after more than 70 days of extreme lockdown. While fencing has come down from around some compounds and residents have been allowed to go shopping, authorities are enforcing strict controls.
Iran will lift its ban on citizens travelling to other provinces on April 20, while in India, the world's largest lockdown has been extended to May 3, weeks ahead of Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says"pro-growth" policies will be needed to kick-start the economy after the coronavirus pandemic.National cabinet will re-examine restrictions in four weeks. States and territories may then look to ease restrictions independently based on data and their capacity to expand testing, tracing and respond to new infections.
New Zealand has imposed far more severe restrictions than Australia. But even chasing eradication over suppression, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this week announced the beginning of a staged windback that means construction can reopen under tight controls. Funerals and weddings can go ahead with a maximum of 10 people.
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