As Europe continues to grapple with a winter surge of the virus, the Austrian government said the country will enter its third lockdown on December 26 post-Christmas.
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Austria recently ended its second lockdown this year as virus cases subsided but the government wants the daily cases to go down further from the 2,000 to 3,000 level currently.
The government has stressed on greater testing this time and declared that for the first three weeks of the lockdown, non-essential stores will be closed and from January 18, stores and restaurants will open again for those who have tested negative.
European government are fearful of a greater surge post-Christmas if families get together in large number, as a result, several countries including France, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark they have imposed strict lockdown conditions, curfews and other restrictions.
Meanwhile, Sweden which had resisted tough measures in the initial months in March to June has recommended its citizens to wear masks in public transport during peak times with restrictions on gathering in restaurants and shutting alcohol sale after 8pm.
The death toll due to the virus in the country has now reached 7,993 with over 500 people in the last week and nearly 2,000 since the beginning of November.
Carl XVI Gustaf, whose son and daughter-in-law tested positive last month told a television channel, “We have had a large number of deaths and that is terrible. That is something that brings us all suffering, I believe we have failed.”
In Spain which was one of the countries in Europe to be hardest-hit by the pandemic over 48,700 people have died due to the virus with the death toll climbing by 181 on Thursday with daily infections surging since last week as Health Minister Salvador Illa warned that the country could be facing a third wave if adequate measures are not taken.
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