After the quarantine was relaxed, infection statistics in India skyrocketed. The World Health Organization (WHO) changed its position on masks on Friday. The WHO now advises governments to make the wearing of cloth masks mandatory in public places.
Meanwhile, infection statistics in India and Iran have started to rise again, which experts say could indicate a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
EU countries are discussing the opening of internal borders by July 1. Britain and Sweden are considered the most dangerous countries to visit in Europe.
According to Johns Hopkins University, since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 6.6 million people worldwide have been infected and nearly 400,000 have died. The top infection rates by continent have also been identified.
In Europe, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Spain are the most affected countries. Russia ranks third in the world in terms of the number of cases, but the mortality rate there is quite low compared to other countries.
In North America, the United States is unfortunately the most affected country by Covid-19. In South and Central America, Brazil and Mexico are the most affected countries. In Africa, the most affected countries are South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria. In Asia, it is India and Iran.
To combat the spread of the disease, G20 countries and invited nations have agreed to provide more than $21 billion – the statement was published on the G20 website Saturday night. All world news about the development of the situation with the coronavirus – in the selection of the Russian service of BBC.
WHO has changed its position on masks, but insists on compliance with other measures. At the beginning of the pandemic, WHO insisted that masks should only be worn by people with coronavirus, those with symptoms, or those in contact with them. The organization was skeptical of the protection offered by masks and advised focusing on frequent hand washing.
However, recent studies have shown that masks can provide effective protection against infection when used properly. According to a growing number of studies cited by the organization, the coronavirus can be spread by individuals before they develop symptoms. At the same time, WHO emphasizes that wearing a mask alone will not save you – it is important to follow the entire package of measures.
“Masks alone will not protect against Covid-19,” emphasized WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, authorities have already made it mandatory to wear masks and gloves on public transportation. According to the BBC, Moscow City Hall is now making money from selling the masks.
As of June 15, all passengers on public transportation in England will be required to wear masks. Although WHO still does not recommend the widespread use of medical masks, the organization advises focusing on the widespread use of cloth masks – there should be no shortage of such products, as they can be made at home if necessary. The WHO recommends wearing masks in places where social distancing is not possible, such as public transportation or shops.
Spain, hit hard by the coronavirus, is in no hurry and will not open its borders with neighboring France and Portugal until July 1. We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. The number of offers should remain: episodes. The end of the story: Promotional Podcasts The European Commission has called on the 27 EU member states to open their borders within the bloc by July 1. European Union interior ministers have begun drawing up plans to do so. At the same time, many emphasize that the current discussion is only about lifting restrictions within the EU. The question of when and to what extent bans on visits from other countries will be lifted is also being discussed these days.
At the same time, Spain plans to open its borders only with France and Portugal as of July 1. There is still no talk about other European Union countries. Belgium, on the other hand, is ready to lift restrictions ahead of schedule. According to the authorities, the country’s borders will open on June 15, unless something extraordinary happens, such as the start of a second wave of the epidemic. The Irish government is preparing to approve a plan for the second phase of lifting the lockdown. It includes reopening a number of offices and small shops, allowing visits to isolated loved ones, and also allowing citizens to travel up to 20 kilometers from their homes instead of the previous 5.
The world famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will give its first live concert after the lockdown in one of the most famous concert halls in Vienna – Musikverein. The capacity of the hall is 2,000 people, but due to social distance rules, only 100 spectators will be able to attend the concert. The orchestra will play Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.
Only 100 people will be able to attend the concert at the famous Musicferain, although the hall is designed for 2000 spectators. Advisors to the French government have announced that the coronavirus epidemic in the country is under control. Experts believe that this is a result of the timely implementation of containment measures, as well as the arrival of summer and higher temperatures. On Thursday, 44 patients died of Covid-19 in the country’s hospitals, with the daily number of new infections reaching about one thousand.
This compares with an average of 8,000 new cases per day in France in March. French scientists say that new outbreaks continue to occur in different regions of the country, but after months of fighting the epidemic, medical professionals now have the tools (tests, contact tracing system) and experience to quickly gain control of the situation. This week, the remaining travel restrictions within the country were lifted. Authorities are urging citizens to continue to adhere to the new norms of social behavior, which will apparently remain a primary condition for preventing a second wave of the epidemic for a long time to come.
On Friday, the Czech Republic will open its borders with Austria and Germany – 10 days ahead of schedule. Communication between the Czech Republic and its neighbors was suspended at the beginning of March. From noon on Friday, citizens of these two countries, as well as Hungary, will be able to enter the Czech Republic without presenting a negative coronavirus test at the border. Borders with Slovakia will also be open from Tuesday. As of June 15, the Czech authorities will also allow the entry of citizens from a number of countries with a favorable epidemiological situation – Switzerland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
First, the Czech Republic opened its borders with its closest neighbor – Slovakia. Last Monday, it was also announced that citizens of the Czech Republic are free to travel to more affected countries such as Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. However, citizens from these countries will be required to present a medical certificate confirming the absence of the virus. Czech authorities consider the United Kingdom and Sweden to be the most dangerous countries to visit. Strict rules will be introduced for travel to these countries.
According to Johns Hopkins University, nearly 9,500 people have been infected in the Czech Republic since the beginning of the epidemic, and 326 have died. In the United Kingdom, the wearing of medical masks on public transport will be compulsory from June 15. A number of clothing stores are scheduled to open on that date, and authorities say it will increase the number of passengers on the Tube and buses. The rule also applies to passengers on trains, planes, ferries and ships.
Wearing masks on British transportation will become mandatory. Statistics of infections and deaths in Great Britain is the most unfavorable in Europe. According to data, as of Friday, there are 283 thousand confirmed cases in the country and almost 40 thousand deaths. However, the number of new cases detected each day is decreasing. Currently, about 5600 people are diagnosed with Covid-19 every day. Two weeks ago this indicator exceeded 8 thousand.
Chester Zoo, the most visited zoo in the UK, may close permanently due to the immense losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. According to zoo employee James Edwards, the maintenance of many animals, such as elephants, is very expensive. In addition, a lot of money is spent on maintaining the huge area. The only way to save the situation would be to reopen to visitors immediately, but there is no talk of that at the moment.
The United States accounts for nearly one-third of the world’s infections and the highest number of deaths – more than 1.8 million and 108.2 thousand, respectively. Since the start of the pandemic, the country has also seen a record increase in unemployment, with tens of millions of Americans applying for benefits.
On Friday, however, the world’s largest economy delivered a surprisingly pleasant surprise: contrary to all expectations, unemployment in the United States did not rise, but fell. At the same time, the number of jobs increased. All this gives hope that the crisis will not be as long and deep as previously thought.
Many shops in the USA are boarded up, looters taking advantage of the fact that not everyone has gone back to work (photo shows a street in San Francisco). The news is encouraging, but it’s too soon to celebrate. After all, the unemployment rate was at a record low of 3.5% in February, and the American economy has relentlessly created jobs for 100 consecutive months. The quarantine has wiped out the gains of the past decade.
Some of the losses will be made up once the epidemic is over. Only those who are actively looking for work but cannot find it are considered unemployed. This includes all those who have been sent on forced unpaid leave with job retention, as well as those who are in no hurry to return to the labor market because they are satisfied with the crisis unemployment benefits (an average of $4,000 per month) or understand that it is unrealistic to find something by the end of the quarantine period (for example, if you are a waiter or wedding photographer).
However, some jobs have been permanently lost. Not all companies will survive the crisis, and recovery will take time. The quarantine has pushed the economy into a hole from which it cannot immediately jump back to its pre-crisis position. It will most likely be a long struggle and a painful climb up the slippery slope from the other side. So it will take years to recover the jobs lost overnight. After the 2009 crisis, it took 9 years for unemployment to return to pre-crisis levels. And this crisis promises to be deeper and more destructive for businesses and populations.
Sydney is the capital of the state of New South Wales. No new cases of coronavirus infection have been reported in the entire state for one week. The Australian state of New South Wales wants to ban “Black Lives Matter” protests planned for Saturday in Sydney. The state’s residents want to support the protesters in the United States who took to the streets after the death of an African-American man, George Floyd, at the hands of a police officer. However, authorities are concerned that the mass event could contribute to the spread of the coronavirus. State police have appealed to the High Court to declare the rallies illegal. According to New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, the commissioner made the decision after it became clear that the actual number of participants would be much higher than what was stated when the event was approved. Currently, gatherings of more than 500 people are considered illegal in the state.
Scientists at the University of Oxford have concluded that the best way to limit the spread of coronavirus after a lockdown is to limit communication to a few constant contacts. This could include relatives, close friends, and a few neighbors. For those returning to work, it is better to limit communication to a certain circle of colleagues. But how this works in practice is still unclear. In general, the message of the Oxford researchers is that creating a social bubble around oneself is much more effective than social distancing.
The prestigious medical journal Lancet has refuted its previous publication, published at the end of May, which claimed that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine drugs as a means against Covid-19 are not only ineffective, but also dangerous for the lives of patients. The authors of the article cited an analysis of data from tens of thousands of people showing that the use of these drugs can cause complications in the cardiovascular system. Following the publication of this study, the WHO suspended clinical trials of the drugs.
