Protests have taken place against Covid restrictions in cities across Italy. There was violence in Milan and Turin as demonstrators clashed with police over the introduction of night curfews and the closure of restaurants, bars, gyms and cinemas.
Belgium will decide this weekend whether to impose an immediate second national lockdown, according to interfederal Covid-19 spokesman Yves Van Laethem. Half the country’s 2,000 intensive care beds are full and he believes by the weekend 1,250 of the beds will probably be occupied.
The Slovak government wants to test the entire population from this weekend. Prime Minister Igor Matovic hopes to identify tens of thousands of infected people, then they and their families would spend the next 10 days in quarantine.
In Russia, masks will have to be worn in many public places from tomorrow – and catering services will have to shut from 11pm
Danes will have to start wearing masks indoors in most public spaces from Thursday - more than 1,000 infections were reported yesterday over a 28-hour period.
The Czech Republic will start a night curfew tomorrow night from 09:00 to 05:00 – it has the highest infection rate in Europe.
Germany’s DIVI intensive care and emergency medicine association is warning of a “dramatic shortage of nurses” as infections surged 11,409 in 24 hours – there’s no shortage of beds, just a lack of 3,500-plus specialists.
France’s government convenes its health defence council today and the big question is whether to impose some form of lockdown as early as this weekend. The head of the science council says daily infections could be “around 100,000”. Paris region hospitals have been told to halt from Friday any unrelated surgery or medical activities if they get in the way of Covid crisis or critical care.
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