Protests rock US but other nations ease lockdowns
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TATTOO parlors and hair salons in Denmark. Beaches in Australia. Bookstores in Germany. Countries around the world that have seen coronavirus infections flatten out began easing their lockdowns yesterday. In the US, meanwhile, the debate took on an increasingly political edge.
Over the past few days, President Donald Trump openly encouraged protesters who have been demanding the lifting of the state-imposed stay-at-home orders, and some states — mostly ones under Republican leaders — have taken steps to relax some restrictions. But other governors have warned that they can’t move ahead without help from the federal government in expanding testing.
Egged on by the president, protesters have taken to the streets in places such as Michigan, Ohio and Virginia, complaining that the shutdowns are destroying their livelihoods and trampling their rights. Defying the social-distancing rules and, in some cases, wearing no masks, demonstrators berated their governors and demanded the firing of Dr Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease expert.
Elsewhere around the world, Isabel Pennekamp, shopping in the German city of Cologne, was grateful that parts of the country reopened small stores.
“Well, I think it’s good, because now people can get out a bit more and normality is a bit more possible again,” she said.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said the gradual easing “is a step-by-step process where, after time, we will evaluate what consequences it has had for the infection.”
Cars will again begin rolling off some production lines in Germany, Sweden and Slovakia.
In Australia, the production of the country’s longest-running soap opera, “Neighbours,” planned to restart by having separate crews for each key filming site. One city council in Sydney reopened beaches but stressed they were only for exercise like swimming, running and surfing, and not for sunbathing.
Hair salons, dentists, physiotherapists and even tattoo parlors were allowed to reopen in Denmark but it was not business as usual.
Christel Lerche sprayed customers’ chairs with alcohol at her salon in suburban Copenhagen and provided hand sanitizer and plastic coat hangers — to be cleaned after each use — to clients keen to get their hair trimmed or styled for the first time since restrictions began on March 11. No magazines were left for customers to share.
India eased the world’s largest lockdown to allow some manufacturing and agricultural activity to resume — if employers can meet social distancing and hygiene standards. The move came as India recorded its biggest single-day spike in infections.
Iran began opening intercity highways and major shopping centers yesterday to stimulate economy.
But in Italy, tensions have been growing between northern regions, which are pushing to reopen industry despite being hardest hit by the coronavirus, and the south, which fears contagion if the lockdown is eased. Premier Giuseppe Conte is expected to outline what a “Phase 2” can look like this week, with the nationwide lockdown set to be lifted on May 4.
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