It is the most difficult of periods for many in Europe. Tens of thousands of people have died, hundreds of thousands have been infected, millions have lost their jobs and many tens of millions have essentially been confined to their homes. But this weekend seemed to mark a turning point. The health battle is far from over. Some parts of Europe are more than a week behind in terms of the spread of the virus. In the United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden, the numbers continue to mount.
This hasn’t just been a health emergency but an economic one, too. France’s finance minister, for example, announced today that the country might see the biggest recession since World War Two. France, Spain, Belgium and Finland are among many that have set up expert committees to examine a gradual easing of stay-at-home orders. And today Austria became the first country in the EU to announce it will start re-opening its economy. The greater the rate of unemployment, the more it will ultimately cost all of us in the years to come.
And this isn’t just about the economic impact. The lockdown is putting a strain on people’s mental health, domestic abuse cases are rising and the education and prospects of millions of young people are being affected. There are no easy answers and there is no clear path, yet. Two things have become obvious, though. Firstly, all of us will have to work hard to prevent a second spike later this year. And secondly, indefinite periods of lockdown are simply unsustainable.
Source: Euro News
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