Border Checks Removed As Europe Ends Virus Shutdown

Parisians pack cafes as city gets its magic back; Spain allows thousands of Germans to fly to its Balearic Islands without a 14-day quarantine; ‘Avatar’ sequel resumes filming in virus-free New Zealand

European countries reopened their borders on Monday after a three-month coronavirus shutdown, although international visitors are still being kept away and there was uncertainty over whether many Europeans will quickly embrace travel outside their home countries.

The virus is still far from being wiped out, and the need for constant vigilance came into sharp focus again as China, where COVID-19 first emerged last year, rushed to contain an outbreak in the capital of Beijing.

Germany and France dropped border checks nearly two weeks after Italy opened its frontiers. Greece welcomed visitors on Monday with passengers on flights from other European countries not having to undergo compulsory coronavirus tests.

The European Union’s 27 nations and a number of other European states aren’t expected to start reopening to visitors from outside the continent until at least the beginning of July and possibly later.

Spain put its tourism industry to the test on Monday by allowing thousands of Germans to fly to its Balearic Islands without a 14-day quarantine. Officials said the pilot programme will help authorities gauge what’s needed to guard against possible virus flare-ups.