Italy and Austria today began a limited easing of their coronavirus lockdowns as countries across Europe started taking the first tentative steps back towards normality.
In Italy, shops selling children’s clothes, bookshops and stationers were all being allowed to reopen today after five weeks of closure.
Computer manufacturers and paper production businesses were also opening again as part of a tightly controlled relaxation of the rules which still require social distancing and the application of strict hygiene practices.
Some provinces in Italy, which has been Europe’s worst-affected country so far, have also delayed implementation of the decision by their government to ease the restrictions in a further sign of the nervousness about the potential risks.
The same cautious approach was on show in Austria where small shops, DIY and gardening centres were being allowed to reopen. People there are still being required to wear a mask when they go out and keep three metres apart.
Today’s moves, which came as Denmark prepared to reopen nurseries and primary schools, follow a similar limited relaxation of the lockdown in Spain yesterday by permitting people employed in manufacturing, construction and some services to return to work.
The Spanish decision followed the publication of figures showing the death toll and Covid-19 infections in the country slowing, despite a total of nearly 17,500 fatalities.
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Italy, where there have been more than 20,000 deaths, also hopes its figures are beginning to head in the right direction after statistics showing a slowing rise in infections.
The bulk of its lockdown will remain in place until early May. In France, President Macron in a televised address to the nation last night said it was too early to be easing its curbs as he extended the lockdown until May 11. He said he would seek to begin a gradual easing after that.
