Europe gives clue on end of UK retail lockdown
Website Editor • April 8, 2020
Europe gives a clue to a possible exit strategy from the UK retail lockdown which would see small retail shops as among the first to re-open.
Austria, Germany and Denmark were the earliest European countries to go into lockdown and are the first to announce definite plans to exit that status.
In Austria, small shops (less than 400m²) are planned to reopen April 14, with larger stores to follow on May 1. In Germany, stores below 800m² are due to re-open on April 20. Restaurants, hotels and schools may be able to reopen by the end of May — though both countries have said that decision will continue to be assessed.
Strict rules about masks, social distancing and the number of people allowed into a store at any one time will remain in place in Austria, but public events may resume in July.
It was noted that the measures were to deal with the “first wave of coronavirus”, an indication that some social distancing would be required longer-term to manage a lower level of ongoing Covid-19 cases.
The UK is at least three weeks or so behind Austria and Chief Medical Officer Dr Chris Whitty for England warned yesterday that it is "too early" to predict when the UK will be ready to start considering any loosening of the lockdown.
Austria, Germany and Denmark were the earliest European countries to go into lockdown and are the first to announce definite plans to exit that status.
In Austria, small shops (less than 400m²) are planned to reopen April 14, with larger stores to follow on May 1. In Germany, stores below 800m² are due to re-open on April 20. Restaurants, hotels and schools may be able to reopen by the end of May — though both countries have said that decision will continue to be assessed.
Strict rules about masks, social distancing and the number of people allowed into a store at any one time will remain in place in Austria, but public events may resume in July.
It was noted that the measures were to deal with the “first wave of coronavirus”, an indication that some social distancing would be required longer-term to manage a lower level of ongoing Covid-19 cases.
The UK is at least three weeks or so behind Austria and Chief Medical Officer Dr Chris Whitty for England warned yesterday that it is "too early" to predict when the UK will be ready to start considering any loosening of the lockdown.
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