Was the quarantine all for nothing?

With Spain, France and Germany recording the highest number of Covid-19 cases since they emerged from lockdown, the danger that Europe blows its best chance of taming the virus grows by the day https://trib.al/UuSJavH 

The hope was that Europe could relax travel and social restrictions this summer because people are much less likely to catch the virus when they’re outside enjoying the warm weather http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

European economies depend on tourism and couldn’t afford a season of empty sun loungers and restaurants.

Airlines and hotels would collapse without new bookings, and they implemented new hygiene measures to reassure customers http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

People were desperate to see friends and families again.

The experiment has backfired. We’re not even through August and cases are surging in Europe –– just look at Germany http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

Germany recorded more than 2,000 new cases on Saturday — the biggest daily jump since April.

One big factor has been the restart of intra-European travel: Almost 40% of recent German cases are thought to have been contracted abroad http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

That’s similar to Italy, where almost a third of new cases were imported from overseas.

Italians holidaying on Sardinia have also brought the virus back to the mainland http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

There has also been a spate of European cases linked to festive gatherings.

France says parties are its main source of new contagion. No wonder the EU’s trade commissioner is under pressure to quit after attending a hotel dinner with about 80 guests http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

In Germany, cases linked to weddings and parties are on the rise.

It's no wonder why: In Berlin, as many as 500 people can meet inside. In contrast, England restricts private gatherings to 30 people and the government has threatened 10,000 pound fine http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

Angela Merkel says Europe must avoid closing borders again “at any cost.”

Shutting borders contributed to a collapse in economic output in the spring. Yet politicians can’t ignore the fact that people are catching the virus abroad and bringing it home http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

Fortunately, the number of new hospitalizations and deaths is a fraction of what it was in the spring because there are more cases among young people, who experience either mild symptoms or none at all http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

But the economic damage done by this new spike is growing.

Ryanair’s decision to scale back its autumn flight schedule suggest consumers are becoming more cautious. The list of countries subject to quarantine measures is growing http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

There’s a risk that infections will begin to spread from young people to the elderly, and that schools and creches will be closed again – every parent’s and finance minister’s nightmare.

In two weeks, more than 40 Berlin schools reported virus cases http://trib.al/UuSJavH 

German Health Minister Jens Spahn is right:

If we must choose between reopening schools or having parties and attending carnivals, then the choice is obvious http://trib.al/UuSJavH