Europe Gets Back To Work

Spain, Italy and Austria take first steps to ease restrictions

Europe took its first tentative steps towards a return to normality this week as some countries re-opened businesses. And several other nations have announced they are preparing to ease their lockdown restrictions in the coming days. Spain and Italy — the two European countries worst-hit by the coronavirus outbreak — have re-started some industries while Germany is considering opening schools from early this week.

Millions of Spanish workers returned to their jobs on Monday after Madrid lifted the curbs on non-essential industries. Builders, cleaners, construction, factory, and shipyard employees were allowed back to work, as police handed out millions of masks on the country’s metro, train and bus networks.

Non-essential industries were shut down two weeks ago as the virus peaked and deaths hit more than 900 a day.